Creme Caramel Portuguese Food

JAMIE OLIVER'S PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• Begin by preparing pastry shells.
• Lay puff pastries out flat, sprinkle with cinnamon and lightly rub it in to spread out and coat surface evenly.
• Roll up both pastry sheets and cut each into 6 even pieces.
• Stand up each piece on it's end and flatten down with fingers into disc shape, place disc's in standard muffin pan.
• Using fingers, spread each piece into a cup shape using the pan as a mold.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400°F in oven on top shelf.
• While they're baking prepare custard mix.
• In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, creme fraiche and zest from 1 orange.
• Shells should still be a little soft and slightly puffed out when they come out of the oven - using a spoon, push back the pastry into the mold and into its cup shape so it can hold the custard.
• Fill each shell almost to the top with custard mix.
• Put custard-filled pastry shells back into 400°F oven on top shelf and bake for 8-10 minutes.
• While tarts continue baking prepare caramel topping.
• Heat up a medium sized saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.
• Add sugar and juice from 2 oranges.
• Use care and caution when making caramel - it is like molten lava. Only use metal utensils while working with caramel as it will ruin wooden spoons and plastic could melt.
• Continuously watching pot and stir occasionally to prevent burning, sugar will melt and bubble as it cooks.
• Caramel is ready once it turns a nice amber color and should be done around the same time the tarts are finished baking.
• Move tarts onto wire rack to cool. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over top of each tart.

BRAZILIAN FLAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350F.

CREME CARAMEL (PORTUGUESE)

Steps:

• Caramel - Place water in a heavy saucepan and add sugar, pouring into the centre of the water so it doesn't tourch the edges.
• Cook over a medium heat for ten minutes - DO NOT STIR - the caramel will slowly colour from blonde to brunette, to a dark, rich colour and then pour into ramekins.
• Custard - Whisk eggs, one at a time into sugar until mixture in slightly frothy.
• Put milk, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and vanilla essence into a saucepan and bring to the boil, remove from heat and stir into egg mixture (do not over mix).
• Pour mixture through a sieve into a jug and then pour into ramekins, being careful when pouring over the caramel that you swirl a little as your pour so the warm mixture does no crack the toffee.
• Place ramekins in an ovenproof dish and fill half way up the sides of the dishes with water and bake at 150C for 30 minutes turning the baking dish around after the first 15 minutes to cook evenly.
• Rest for 30 minutes. run a knife around the edges of the ramekins before turning out onto a dish.

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over low heat. Let the sugar dissolve. Carefully brush the walls of the pot with a little water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing on the sides. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the syrup turns golden brown. Remove from the heat promptly and carefully divide the hot caramel among the 6 ramekins. Let cool for at least 2 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to just below a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix together the egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Place the mixing bowl on top of a towel to keep it from wobbling while whisking in the hot liquid. Gently whisk 2 tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Slowly whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture 1/3 at a time, trying to prevent excess bubbles. Strain though a sieve.
• Place 6 ramekins evenly spaced in a paper towel-lined baking dish to prevent the ramekins from sliding. Pour 6 ounces into each caramel-coated ramekin. Place on the extended middle rack of the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish until 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. (Be careful not to get any water on the custard mixture.) Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and very gently slide it towards the center of the rack. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the custards are almost fully set. Remove from the oven. Use tongs to remove the ramekins from the hot water bath. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then refrigerate until well chilled.
• To serve, dip the ramekin in very hot water for 15 to 20 seconds. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the ramekin. Invert the custards onto serving plates. The caramel will pool around the inverted custards. Serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 4 heatproof 6.5-oz. ramekins with vegetable spray. Place ramekins in a casserole dish.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. When sugar begins to melt around the edges, gently shake the pan continually, swirling sugar around, until all the sugar melts; don't use utensils to stir. When sugar is completely melted and dark brown, remove the pan from heat.
• Quickly pour equal amounts of caramel syrup into the 4 prepared ramekins.
• Place 1 egg and 3 egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy, about 1 minute.
• Spoon the creme fraiche into the egg mixture; add the milk, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Whisk together until ingredients are completely mixed.
• Ladle mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Fill casserole with hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place casserole on middle rack of preheated oven.
• Bake until just barely set, 45 to 50 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the casserole to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, run a sharp paring knife around the edge of each custard.
• To unmold, cover ramekin with a small plate, then invert. Chill before serving.

CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a small frying pan, preferably non-stick, and add the water. Heat slowly, stirring gently with a metal tablespoon until the sugar has dissolved. The base of the pan will no longer feel gritty when you run the spoon over it. (Step 1)
• Increase the heat under the pan and allow the syrup to bubble. As the water is driven off, the syrup will become thicker and the bubbles on the surface will get bigger. Do not stir the syrup during this time. (Step 2)
• Watch the syrup carefully and when it starts to turn golden at the edges, swirl the pan to ensure even colouring. Do not stir it. When the syrup has turned a rich golden caramel colour, remove from heat. (Step 3)
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Pour the caramel into ramekins. Bring the milk to simmering point.
• Put the eggs and yolks in a bowl with the sugar and whisk lightly together.
• Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Strain into a clean jug and add the vanilla, and liqueur, if using. Pour carefully into the prepared ramekins.
• Pour boiling water from the kettle into a roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 15-20 mins until the custards are just set. Leave to cool, then chill for at least 4 hrs, or even overnight. The caramels can be made up to 3 days in advance.
• To turn out each caramel, run the point of a sharp knife around the top edge of each ramekin, place a dessert plate on top and invert. Give the ramekin and plate a sharp shake and carefully remove the ramekin.