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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.

• 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.