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Coffee Creme Caramel
Serves 8 Prep 10 min Cook 1 min Total 11 min Type Dessert Origin French

Coffee Creme Caramel

A coffee crème caramel: a silky egg custard infused with espresso, set firm over a deep amber caramel.

Serves 8 Prep 10 minutes Cook 1 minute Units Rate

Ingredients

Caramel

  • 120 grams caster sugar
  • 30 grams liquid glucose (optional)

Crème

  • 250 ml milk
  • 20 grams coffee beans (finely ground)
  • 100 ml whipping cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 60 grams caster sugar
  • 10 grams coffee beans (crushed, to serve)

Overview

An elegant custard-based crème caramel delicately infused with ground coffee, providing subtle bitterness and depth that balances the sweet caramel coating and silky custard. The coffee and caramel pairing creates a sophisticated flavor profile suitable for dinner parties and special occasions.

Method

For the caramel

  1. Dissolve the sugar in 2 tablespoons of water in a small, heavy-based pan and bring gently to the boil.
  2. Use a brush dipped in cold water to brush down any crystals forming on the side of the pan.
  3. Add the glucose, if using.
  4. Cook gently to a light caramel. Divide between 8 ceramic or metal moulds, 7 cm in diameter and 3 ½ cm high, rotating each, so the caramel coats two-thirds of the way up the sides.
  5. Stand in a shallow roasting dish lined with greaseproof paper.
  6. Preheat the oven to 120°C.

For the crème

  1. Bring the milk and ground coffee to the boil in a pan, then add the cream and return to the boil.
  2. Take off the heat and set aside to infuse. Gently whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl for 1 minute.
  3. Slowly strain the boiling hot coffee milk through a fine-meshed conical sieve onto th egg and sugar mix, stirring with a balloon whisk as you do so. Use a skimmer to remove any bubbles from the surface.
  4. Fill the caramel-lined moulds with the mixture, to about 5 mm from the rip.
  5. Pour enough hot water into the roasting dish to come halfway up the sides of the moulds.
  6. Place carefully in the oven and cook for 50 minutes or until lightly set.
  7. Transfer the moulds to a wire rack to cool, then chill for 4 hours.
  8. To turn out, dip the base of each mould in boiling water for 10 seconds, then invert over a shallow bowl.
  9. Spoon any caramel left in the moulds over each crème caramel.
  10. Sprinkle the crushed coffee beans around the base.
  11. Serve cold but not overly chilled.

Notes

  • Ground coffee (not whole beans) should be infused into hot milk and strained carefully to remove all particles; straining through a sieve several times ensures clarity
  • The water bath (bain-marie) is essential, maintaining a gentle, even heat that creates a silky custard rather than grainy, curdled texture
  • The caramel coating (at exactly 155°C) provides the right crunch without bitterness; cooking to darker amber creates an unpleasantly bitter coating
  • The crushed whole coffee beans for garnish should be added just before serving and scattered lightly to avoid grittiness

Serving

Turn the crème caramel out onto a shallow bowl or plate, allowing the caramel sauce to pool around the silky custard. Scatter crushed roasted coffee beans at the base and serve immediately. The contrast between warm coffee notes in the custard and the caramel sweetness balances perfectly.

Storage

Baked crème caramels keep refrigerated for up to 3 days in their moulds, covered with plastic film; the custard texture and caramel flavor actually improve as flavors integrate. Do not turn out until ready to serve, as the caramel coating begins to change texture after exposure to air. Serve at cold or room temperature; chilled provides maximum contrast.

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