# Baked Custard Pudding
Silky, elegant, and timeless—this classic baked custard delivers a velvety texture with subtle vanilla warmth and a delicate caramelized finish. Prepared in individual ramekins and gently cooked in a water bath, it’s a refined dessert that requires minimal effort yet yields sophisticated results.
Serves 6 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes | Chill: 3+ hours
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## Ingredients
### Custard
– 4 large eggs, room temperature
– 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk (or 2 cups milk + ½ cup heavy cream for richer body)
– ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
– 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
– ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
– Freshly grated nutmeg, for dusting
### Optional Caramel Layer (Crème Caramel Variation)
– ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
– 2 tablespoons water
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## Method
1. **Preheat the oven** to 325°F (160°C). Arrange six 6-ounce (175 ml) ramekins in a deep roasting pan or baking dish. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
2. **Warm the milk**: In a saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until steaming but not simmering. Remove from heat.
3. **Prepare the custard base**: In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and pale, about 1–2 minutes. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pouring jug to remove any coagulated egg.
4. **Optional caramel**: Combine sugar and water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat without stirring, swirling gently, until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber (6–8 minutes). Immediately divide among ramekins, tilting to coat the bottoms. Work quickly—caramel sets fast.
5. **Assemble and bake**: Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins (fill to ¾). Dust lightly with nutmeg. Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake 35–45 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers retain a gentle jiggle.
6. **Cool and chill**: Remove ramekins from the water bath. Cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes), then refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
7. **Serve**: Run a thin knife around each custard. Invert onto a dessert plate; the caramel (if used) will flow over the top. Garnish with fresh berries or a light dusting of nutmeg.
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## Professional Notes
– **Water bath (bain-marie)** ensures gentle, even cooking and prevents curdling.
– **Straining** removes air bubbles and egg solids for flawless silkiness.
– **Avoid overbaking**—custard continues to set as it cools.
– **Make-ahead**: Custards improve in flavor and texture after 24 hours. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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## Variations
| Flavor | Addition |
|——–|———-|
| Coffee | Dissolve 1 tsp espresso powder in warm milk |
| Chocolate | Melt 2 oz (60 g) 70% dark chocolate into milk |
| Matcha | Sift 1 tsp ceremonial matcha into egg mixture |
| Citrus | Infuse milk with zest of 1 orange or lemon |
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## Nutrition (per serving, plain)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 7 g | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Fat: 7 g
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*Pair with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a crisp shortbread biscuit for an elevated presentation.*
