Lemon Caramel Custard Food

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar is melted and golden. Pour into eight 6-oz. custard cups, tilting to coat bottom of cup; let stand for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the cups in two 8-in. square baking pans. Pour very hot water in pans to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. , To unmold, run a knife around rim of cup and invert onto dessert place. Serve warm or chilled.

LEMON CARAMEL

Steps:

• Peel the zest off the lemon in long strips, making sure not to get too much pith.
• Pour the double cream into a medium sized saucepan and add the lemon peel.
• Bring up to a gentle heat and then remove from the heat just before it reaches a boil.
• Pour the cream and peel into a jug and leave to infuse at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Strain out the lemon peel once infused and weigh out 300ml of the cream to use in this recipe.
• Tip the caster sugar into a medium sized saucepan and heat on a gentle temperature as the sugar begins to melt.
• Avoid moving the sugar around too much but you can encourage an even melting by gently shaking the actual saucepan around occasionally if you need to. Keep a careful eye on the sugar and do not leave at all.
• As the sugar has melted it will turn a dark golden tan colour. Watch to make sure it doesn't get too browned as this means it's burning.
• As soon as the sugar has melted and has turned that dark golden tan colour then pour in the strained cream and the butter. It will rise dramatically up the saucepan so stand back at first for safety.
• Stir the cream and butter into the melted sugar and it will quickly form a thick silky caramel sauce.
• Stir for a minute or two once the caramel has formed then you can turn off the heat and add the salt.
• Pour the caramel into a jug and leave for 20 minutes for it to thicken to a pourable consistency. Stir briefly before using.

CREAMY CARAMEL FLAN

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium-low heat until melted and golden, about 15 minutes. Brush down crystals on the side of the pan with additional water as necessary. Quickly pour into an ungreased 2-qt. round baking or souffle dish, tilting to coat the bottom; let stand for 10 minutes. , Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until thoroughly combined. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the dish in a larger baking pan. Pour boiling water into larger pan to a depth of 1 in. Bake until the center is just set (mixture will jiggle), 50-60 minutes. , Remove dish from a larger pan to a wire rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. , To unmold, run a knife around edges and invert onto a large rimmed serving platter. Cut into wedges or spoon onto dessert plates; spoon sauce over each serving.

SIMPLE LIGHT LEMON CUSTARD

Steps:

• Combine eggs, lemon rind and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat.
• Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent clumping, until mixture becomes well combined and light yellow.
• Add in light margarine and lemon juice, keep whisking and cooking for about 5 minutes.
• Set aside, let cool before serving.
• Mixture will thicken even more when cold.
• Enjoy on top of cakes, pies, fruit, ice cream -- or on its own!

LEMON CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Have ready a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook 1 cup sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Immediately pour caramel into pie plate, tilting pie plate to coat bottom and side evenly, and put pie plate in a baking pan.
• With a vegetable peeler remove zest from 1 lemon and in a food processor pulse with remaining 1/3 cup sugar until finely chopped. Squeeze enough juice from lemons to measure 1/4 cup. In a saucepan bring cream and lemon sugar just to a boil, stirring. In a bowl whisk together eggs, yolks, vanilla, and a pinch salt until combined well and add cream mixture and lemon juice in a stream, whisking. Pour custard through a sieve into pie plate.
• Add enough hot water to baking pan to reach halfway up side of pie plate and bake crème caramel in middle of oven about 40 minutes, or until outer 3 inches are set but center still trembles slightly. (Custard will continue to set as it cools.) Remove pie plate from pan and cool crème caramel completely on a rack. Chill crème caramel, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Run a thin knife around edge of crème caramel and gently rotate pie plate back and forth to make sure crème caramel is loosened. Invert a flat serving plate with a slight lip over pie plate and invert crème caramel onto serving plate.