Serves 8

Ingredients

• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 large whole eggs
• 1 cup, sugar
• Large pinch salt
• 2¾ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1¼ cups milk
• 3 tablespoons instant coffee (Medaglia D'Oro or Folgers are good brands.)

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place 8 six-ounce (or four-ounce) ramekins in a large ovenproof pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, eggs, sugar and salt.
4. In a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan combine the cream, milk and coffee. Heat the mixture over medium high heat until the edges start to bubble.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk it into the eggs and sugar mixture.
6. Cool the liquid custard over an ice bath. Strain and then pour (or ladle) the custard mixture into the ramekins.
7. Slowly pour hot water into the baking pan (creating your "water bath"), adding enough so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Carefully place the pan in the middle of the oven.
8. Bake the custards until all but an area the size of a quarter in the center of the custard is set, about an hour and ten minutes (after 50 minutes check them every 6-8 minutes to make sure they don't overcook).
9. Remove the pan from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Using tongs transfer them to a baking sheet and refrigerate until cold (at least four hours). They can be made a day in advance.
10. Serve cold with a small dollop of Chantilly cream (lightly sweetened whipped cream, sometimes with vanilla or another flavoring).

Crème Caramel

Ingredients

• 1 recipe of the custard (above)
• 1-cup sugar
• 1/3-cup plus 3 tablespoons water

Procedure

1. While the custard base is cooling:
2. Place the sugar and 1/3 cup of the water in a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir the sugar and the water and cook it over low heat until it is dissolved. When the sugar is dissolved increase to medium-high to high heat. Using a clean pastry brush dipped in water, brush the inside sides of the pot to eliminate any sticking sugar granules. Cook until it turns an amber color.
3. Remove the saucepan from the stove and very carefully stir in the remaining water a tablespoon at a time. The caramel may sputter when you add the water so be careful and wear an oven mitt.
4. Pour (or ladle) some caramel into the bottom of each of the ramekins. Tilt the ramekins so the caramel completely coats the bottom and a quarter up the sides of each ramekin. Let cool at room temperature until hard.
5. Pour the custard in the caramel coated ramekins.
6. Bake in a water bath.
7. Cool completely, at least six hours.
8. To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of each of the ramekins. Carefully invert onto a plate and remove the ramekin.

Crème Brûlée

To make Crème Brûlée start with the custard recipe above then follow directions below.

Ingredients

• ½ cup superfine sugar

Procedure

1. Right before you plan to serve the brûlée, sprinkle the top of each of the ramekins with a layer of superfine sugar.
2. Using the blowtorch or salamander caramelize the tops of the custards.
3. Serve immediately

Reprinted with permission from Emily Luchetti.