600ml/1pint double cream
6 egg yolks
4 level teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
6 drops vanilla extract
Caramel bit
110g/4oz granulated sugar
Start the day before you want to eat them
1. Get six ramekin dishes out
2. Tip the cream into a pan and start to heat it gently
3. Meantime, mix the egg yolks, cornflour, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
4. Increase heat under the cream till it's just bubbling up to boil. Once there, pour it in with the egg mix, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. That way it shouldn't get lumpy.
5. Tip this cream back into the pan. Heat it very gently while stirring until it thickens up. This should take a couple of minutes. If it looks like it might start to break up then whip it off the heat and beat with your spoon till it's creamy again.
6. Pour equal amounts into each ramekin. Leave them to cool, then stick them into the fridge overnight. Or do this in the morning for that evening's eating.
On the day
1. Do this at least 1 hour before you want to eat: Tip the granulated sugar into a heavy bottomed pan. Now, put it on a really low heat for between 10-15 minutes. You want it to melt into a liquid caramel. Gentle heating does the trick. Too much and you'll burn it!! Don't stir your sugar or it wont work. Just tip the pan from side to slide a bit sometimes and watch its progress.
2. When all the sugar's dissolved get the ramekins from the fridge. Once the syrup is clear then pour it very carefully over the top of each one to cover the surface. The stuffs red hot so don't spill it on yourself.
3. Let the caramel harden for 5 mins or so before you eat it.
Check out the recipe for Toffee Lemon Cream Fruit Cups in my book, Real Food Real Fast. It's a bit like a cheat's crème brulee. Instead of the custard you use whipped double cream or crème fraiche, which is faster and a whole load easier.
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