SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME – BAKING PARTNERS

Swathi asked me to select a recipe for this month and I’d been dying to try these, so guess what we’re baking? Yep, you guessed it, SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME. I cannot tell you where I first got the recipe because all I have is a photocopied page.  The salt brings out the rich buttery flavor of these simple creamy custards.

SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon flaked sea salt*

*I used Himalayan Pink fresh ground salt

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Adjust racks as necessary so your baking dish will be centered evenly in your oven.
  • Place six 6 ounce ramekins in a large baking dish. As you can see I used a combination of what I had available at the time.
  • Add enough water to the baking dish to go half way up the sides of the ramekins.
  • In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.
  • Heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
  • Boil for 8 minutes without stirring until you reach a deep amber color.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Whisking constantly, whisk in whipping cream and milk in a steady stream. Mixture will steam and sugar will begin to harden.
  • Return to heat cooking and whisking about 2 minutes until sugar has dissolved.
  • In a large bowl whisk egg yolks until light and foamy.
  • Slowly whisk whipping cream mixture into beaten egg yolks.
  • Pour mixture through sieve into a 4 cup spouted measuring cup.
  • Carefully pour strained mixture into ramekins.
  • Bake 40 minutes or until edges are set and centers jiggle just slightly.
  • Transfer to wire racks to cool, cooling completely.
  • Cover with saran and chill 4-24 hours.
  • Before serving sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
I have made something similar in the past if you want one not quite so rich. These Salted Caramel Cheesecakes were really good too.Every recipe we tried recently was excellent, but this dessert was melt-in-your-mouth decadently good!  It was also rich so I’m very glad I made it in these small ramekins for individual servings!
SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE CUPS
CHEESECAKE
1/2 pound softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 JUMBO eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
CARAMEL
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth.
  • Add eggs, beating until incorporated after each egg.
  • Beat in sour cream.
  • Pour into ramekins.
  • Set ramekins in a baking dish and add water to midway up the ramekins.
  • Place in the center of the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until the edges are set, but the centers are still jiggly.
  • Turn off oven and leave cheesecakes undisturbed for 1 hour.
  •  After 1 hour transfer ramekins to cooling rack and cool completely before covering.
  • Cover and chill cheesecakes in the refrigerator at least several hours, preferably overnight.
  • Meanwhile make the caramel.
  • In a heavy saucepan heat the corn syrup.
  • Stir in the sugar until well incorporated and cook over a moderately high heat, undisturbed until a deep amber caramel forms.
  • Turn off heat and carefully stir in butter with a long spoon.  Careful, it will spit.
  • Add the heavy cream in a thin stream, stirring constantly until smooth.
  • Add salt and blend well.
  • Transfer the caramel to a heatproof container and allow to cool.

To serve:

  • Heat caramel in small increments until desired temperature.
  • Pour a spoonful over each cheesecake and serve.