The popular caramel custard with a twist, where regular milk is replaced with coconut milk. Addition of milk cream and eggs prevents the coconut milk from curdling resulting in a rich and creamy custard. Topped with a soft caramel, this elegant dessert is soft, smooth and melts-in-the-mouth.
When preparing the caramel, care should be taken not to burn the sugar. A darker caramel with slight bitterness is preferred to offset the sweetness of the custard rather than a pale caramel, which is too sweet.
This coconut caramel custard can be prepared in one big mould or small ramekins. I have used individual silicone moulds. The custard can be steamed or baked in a water bath, also known as the bain-marie. Refrigerated to set and served chilled, this rich dessert should be eaten in moderation.
When preparing the caramel, care should be taken not to burn the sugar. A darker caramel with slight bitterness is preferred to offset the sweetness of the custard rather than a pale caramel, which is too sweet.
This coconut caramel custard can be prepared in one big mould or small ramekins. I have used individual silicone moulds. The custard can be steamed or baked in a water bath, also known as the bain-marie. Refrigerated to set and served chilled, this rich dessert should be eaten in moderation.
Caramel Custard
(Serves 8)
Caramel
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons water
Method:
In a saucepan, heat sugar with water. Do not stir sugar but swirl the pan. Cook till sugar is dark amber in color. Pour caramel in ramekins or one big mould like a baking dish or cake pan ensuring to spread caramel along the bottom and sides of the mould. Set aside to cool.
Custard
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups coconut milk (canned or fresh)
1 1/4 cups half and half cream (read note below)
4 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut (toasted) for garnishing
Method:
Beat eggs with sugar in a bowl, then add vanilla extract. Simultaneously, heat coconut milk and cream in a saucepan. (Do not bring mixture to a boil.)
When slightly warm, pour gradually into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to prevent eggs from cooking. This is called tempering where the temperature of the eggs are raised without heating them through. Do not pour warm liquid all at once.
Strain the egg mixture through a sieve into the prepared mould or moulds. Ensure that the caramel is cool and set before pouring the egg mixture.
Steam custard or bake in a preheated oven of 300 F or 150 C using the water bath or bain-marie method. The custard has to set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. Steaming took around 20 minutes, while baking time varies depending on the size, type and brand of the oven.
Once set, lift the mould or moulds carefully out of the steamer or water bath and cool. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. When serving, run a knife all round the edge of the custard and with your hands, gently move the mould or moulds, both clockwise and anti-clockwise to loosen custard. Invert onto a dish. Serve individual portions or cut one large custard into wedges, garnished with toasted coconut.
Note:
(Serves 8)
Caramel
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons water
Method:
In a saucepan, heat sugar with water. Do not stir sugar but swirl the pan. Cook till sugar is dark amber in color. Pour caramel in ramekins or one big mould like a baking dish or cake pan ensuring to spread caramel along the bottom and sides of the mould. Set aside to cool.
Custard
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups coconut milk (canned or fresh)
1 1/4 cups half and half cream (read note below)
4 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut (toasted) for garnishing
Method:
Beat eggs with sugar in a bowl, then add vanilla extract. Simultaneously, heat coconut milk and cream in a saucepan. (Do not bring mixture to a boil.)
When slightly warm, pour gradually into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to prevent eggs from cooking. This is called tempering where the temperature of the eggs are raised without heating them through. Do not pour warm liquid all at once.
Strain the egg mixture through a sieve into the prepared mould or moulds. Ensure that the caramel is cool and set before pouring the egg mixture.
Steam custard or bake in a preheated oven of 300 F or 150 C using the water bath or bain-marie method. The custard has to set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. Steaming took around 20 minutes, while baking time varies depending on the size, type and brand of the oven.
Once set, lift the mould or moulds carefully out of the steamer or water bath and cool. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. When serving, run a knife all round the edge of the custard and with your hands, gently move the mould or moulds, both clockwise and anti-clockwise to loosen custard. Invert onto a dish. Serve individual portions or cut one large custard into wedges, garnished with toasted coconut.
Note:
- A water bath or bain-marie is a method of heating desserts gradually. A wide deep pan (preferably a roasting pan) that can accommodate a small mould or moulds is used. The single mould or individual ramekins with the dessert mixture is placed inside the large one. Hot water is poured in the large pan till it reaches halfway up the outside of the moulds. The large pan with the hot water and mould/moulds containing the dessert mixture is carefully placed in the oven. The water bath method heats the dessert gently, preventing it from burning, drying or curdling.
- I have steamed the custard mixture in 6 silicone moulds and 2 glass ramekins. The latter had a clean finish with a good amount of caramel liquid. The intricate design around the silicone mould gave the custard an uneven finish with most of the caramel liquid crystalized and stuck to the bottom. The silicone ones are definitely not suitable for caramel custard.
- Steamed custard took 20 minutes to set. Time will vary depending on the size of the mould.
- Half and half refers to the liquid's content of half milk and half cream. Its butterfat content is 10%.
- For fresh coconut milk, use the first thick extract.
See More Custard Recipes
