Creme caramel with cinnamon and clementines

[Ishbel]

Crème Caramel with cinnamon and clementines

Serves 6
Best made the day before or early in the day on which you want to eat them!

8 clementines (or tangerines)
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
500ml full-cream milk
150g granulated sugar
150ml boiling water
2 whole eggs plus 4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
3 tbsp Cointreau (if preferred, use a cooled sugar syrup)

Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. Pare the zest from 2 clementines. Put the zest in a pan with the cinnamon and milk. Bring to boiling point, remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
Put the granulated sugar and water in a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil until it is a golden caramel. Divide between 6 x 150ml ramekins.

Lightly whisk the eggs and yolks with the caster sugar. Then mix in the infused milk to form a custard. Straininto a jug. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Put the ramekins in a roasting tray.Skim any froth from the custard before pouring into the ramekins. Add enough boiling water to come 2/3 up the side of the ramekins(bain marie) for 30 minutes until just set. If they still look quite wobbly, leave in the tray (out of the oven) for 5 minutes. Remove. Chill for at least 6 hours.

Cut the pith and skin from the clementines. Slice out the segments from between the casings into a bowl. Mix in the Cointreau. Set aside.

To serve, dip the base of each ramekin in hot water for 10 seconds, run a knife around the edge of each, put a plate over the top and invert. Serve with the clementines on the top.

[PA Baker]

Thanks Ishbel--I absolutely love Crème Caramel! The cinnamon sounds like a wonderful addition.

[Ishbel]

Made this for lunch yesterday, along with a couple of other desserts. It was great.

[PA Baker]

Originally Posted by Ishbel

Made this for lunch yesterday, along with a couple of other desserts. It was great.

That sounds like my kind of lunch!

[Ishbel]

My daughter and her boyfriend came for the bank holiday weekend (4 day holiday in the UK - yippeeeeeee!) - and then on Saturday, we somehow had another 4 guests inviting themselves to Sunday's lunch. And then 2 of the 4 decided to stay the night..... We just think of ourselves as a small, boutique hotel!

[Alix]

Hmmmm...and you allow drop ins with no reservations do you? With that kind of food you could charge exorbitant fees too!

[Ishbel]

Just give me a couple of hours warning when you are this side of the pond, Alix - and I'll make sure there's a table available for you and a guest

[Alix]

I am soooo taking you up on that Ishbel. When we land at Heathrow I will call you!

[Ishbel]

I'll await the call!