Crème Caramel (Handwritten)

Ingredients

• 1.2 cup sugar, for caramel
• 2.water, scant ¼ cup; for caramel
• 3.0.5 teaspoon cream of tartar, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water; to prevent crystallisation
• 4.6 eggs, lightly beaten; for custard
• 5.sugar, ⅔ cup; for custard
• 6.0.5 teaspoon salt, for custard
• 7.4 cup milk, scalded; for custard
• 8.0.5 teaspoon vanilla essence, for custard

Method

1. 1.CARAMEL: Mix the sugar and the water in a small saucepan and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add the cream of tartar (dissolved in 1 tablespoon water), stir.
2. 2.Boil rapidly but on no account stir or move the saucepan about during boiling. Watch carefully — colour will start changing to light yellow. Continue boiling until syrup turns amber colour.
3. 3.Pour the caramel into a warmed 2-pint mould. Swirl it round quickly to coat the bottom and sides of mould. Allow the caramel to set firmly in the dish before pouring in the custard.
4. 4.To clean saucepan: let the saucepan cool slightly, then fill with hot water and let soak.
5. 5.CUSTARD: Beat the 6 eggs slightly to mix. Blend in the sugar and salt. Scald the 4 cups of milk until a thin skin forms. Stir in the vanilla.
6. 6.Strain the custard into the prepared caramel-lined mould. Set mould in a pan of hot water (1" up on mould).
7. 7.Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30–35 minutes, just until a silver knife thrust into the custard comes out clean. Immediately remove from heat and cool.
8. 8.Turn out just before serving. When unmoulded, the melted caramel runs down the sides forming a sauce. Serve with cream.

Notes

• Card note: 'This pudding will unmould much more easily if prepared well in advance.'
• A handwritten version of the same recipe — the typewritten version is at creme-caramel.yaml (pages 1–24 of this scan). This card has slightly different caramel proportions and method detail.
• The cream of tartar is dissolved in 1 tablespoon water before adding to the caramel to prevent crystallisation.