Caramel Custard

One of my favourite desserts... I always tasted these in restaurants and craved to recreate at home. Ma prepares a pudding which is in the same lines of this dish. I didn't know how to get the caramel layer on top. Googling yielded me several recipes and I finally picked this coz the custard recipe was quite similar to Ma's pudding recipe except that Ma adds a few torn bread slices to it. Due to lack of proper vessel for steaming, when the custard was inverted, it had a free fall and totally changed shape. The pictures hence might not be so appealing but it tasted excellent nevertheless. I'm hunting for ramekins to prepare this next time.

This reminds me of Srujanie, one of my friends and ex-colleagues in Kolkata. She would cook and bring all those dishes that I loved, to office and pampered me. She is a great cook, I really miss her... She had once brought this custard and I alone gobbled it all!

Ingredients:

For the custard:
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the caramel
3 tablespoons sugar (I suggest to use 11/2 or 2)
1/2 cup water
a deep mould for steaming

Method for the caramel
1. Melt the sugar on low heat until it turns a deep brown. Remove from fire, add the water carefully, then put back on fire and cook on slow heat until a thick honey-like syrup is obtained. This is the caramel.
2. While still hot, pour the caramel into the mould (rinsed in cold water) and gradually turn the mould so that the sides get coated with the caramel. Leave aside.

For the custard:
1. Beat the eggs with the sugar thoroughly.
2. Boil the milk. While still boiling, pour into the egg-sugar mixture and beat vigorously until well blended. There should be no lumps.
3. Add the essence, beat once again and pour into the mould.
4. Cover the mould with a piece of aluminium foil. Bring down the foil on all sides and tie at the rim of the mould with the piece of string.
5. Steam cook the custard on very low heat for 30-45 minutes. (A fine needle pierced through should come out clean). Remove the foil. Cool, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Just before serving, cover the mouth of the mould with a plate. Quickly turn the mould over on to the plate and remove the mould. Serve immediately.