Creme Caramel

I know, I know everyone does Caramel Custard.  As a kid I hated it - my mom cooks absolutely beautifully but cannot make this.  Everyone I know would make this in the cooker  ?????? and it would taste eggy.  

I had the most amazing creme caramel on a trip to the UK and decided I had to overcome my fear of making this.  I absolutely hate using the cooker for any dessert.  My recipe is a baked one and uses half milk half cream.  In fact higher the proportion of cream to the milk the tastier it is.

Start of by making a nice caramel.  All this needs is sugar and a little bit of water.  You need to remember only to stir the sugar till it melts.  Once its melted please do not put a spoon into it.  Else it will crystalise.  Also you need to be careful not to let the sugar burn.  The time from a good caramel to a burnt caramel is probably just seconds.

Next you will need to make a custard - lots of eggs required.  This again requires care as to not let the eggs curdle so the temp of the milk / cream needs to be below boiling.  

Then all is simple.  Pour into the mould and stick it into the oven.  Recipe given below.

Recipe to follow

Serves - 08 people

Time - 15 min prep              45 min baking time                4-5 hours chilling time.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tbsp sugar + 30 ml water
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 300 ml milk
• 300 ml cream
• a few drops of vanilla essence 

METHOD

• Start be preparing the dish for baking.  You will need a mould with a larger pan as this is going to be baked in a bain marie - well actually steamed.
• Fill the larger dish with water upto halfway mark.
• Preheat oven to 150C

• Make the caramel by melting 4 tbsp sugar alongwith 30 ml water.  Stir till sugar melts.  Once melted do not touch the pan with a spoon but swirl gently.
• Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and let is bubble till a golden colour is achieved.  
• Remove from heat immediately and pour into the mould that is being used.  Swirl the mould to cover the base and sides.  
• Place the mould in the larger pan.

• Beat the eggs and sugar till thick and creamy
• Mix the milk and cream till almost boiling.  DO NOT BOIL
• Pour into the egg mix, beating constantly.
• Add in the vanilla
• Strain the custard, if you see any lumps, directly onto the caramel.
• Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 40-45 min.  If the water reduces, top it up.

• Once done, cover with a cling film and bring to room temp
• Chill in the fridge for 4-5 hours and unmould before serving.

Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

OMG - This is an ice cream to die for.  It is soo good not because of the chocolate or the chocolate chips which I am not overly fond of [I can see a lot of people looking at me like I'm crazy] but for the cookie dough.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The Cookie dough is so tasty and can be used in various desserts.  There is a whole book dedicated to this - The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook - which is latest acquisition.  It uses a cookie dough mix in just about everything.  Am itching to trying all the recipes and sharing them to :)

The Traditional cookie dough ice cream is a vanilla based one but with the craze for chocolate and all things chocolaty at my home [is there a word such as that ?] I decided to go with a chocolate custard.  After hunting down - I spend too much time on the net - various recipes the one I bookmarked to try was from 

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/08/02/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-ice-cream/  - 

It came out splendidly.  If you are a chocolate fan this one is for you -

INGREDIENTS:

For the Chocolate Ice Cream:
225 gms semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
350 gms heavy cream
365 gms whole milk
150 gms granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
115 gms unsalted butter, at room temperature
110 gms light brown sugar
50 gms granulated sugar
30 gms  heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
105 gms all-purpose flour
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the Ice Cream Custard: Combine the chocolate and cream in a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.

2. Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula (it should reach 170-175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer into the chocolate mixture and stir in the vanilla extract. Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Combine the butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla and salt, and mix for another minute or so, until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

5. Churn the Ice Cream: Just before churning the ice cream, scoop the cookie dough into ½-teaspoon to 1 teaspoon-sized balls and place on a plate or parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished churning, fold in the chunks of cookie dough and transfer to an airtight container. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Note: If you prefer a vanilla ice cream base for your chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, just use the same method as outlined above, substituting the chocolate.

Thanks to http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/08/02/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-ice-cream/