This is one of those desserts that looks as if it has too many ways to go wrong, and to be fair, it kind of does. After a very long round of testing, mistakes and fixes, though, this is the version I trust at home: manageable in a normal oven, with normal equipment and normal patience.
A lot of online recipes assume restaurant-level calm and precision. This one does not: I break everything down and keep it as foolproof as possible.
Happy birthday, Mum!
Quick info
- Servings: up to 16 small-medium pieces
- Preparation: 30 min
- Baking: 60–75 min
- Resting: at least 4 hours in the fridge
- Tools: 24–28 cm pan, large baking dish for water bath, small saucepan, thermometer (optional), 2 bowls, electric whisk, hand whisk, knife
Ingredients
- 7 eggs (4 for the custard, 3 for the sponge)
- 175g sugar (100g for the custard, 75g for the sponge)
- 75g plain flour (for the sponge)
- 500ml milk (for the custard)
- 150g sugar + 150g water (for the caramel)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 sachet vanilla powder
- 1 vial almond or rum flavouring
Procedure
Make the custard
In a bowl whisk 4 eggs with 100g sugar using a hand whisk (do not whip). Add 500ml milk, 1 sachet vanilla and 1 vial flavouring. Mix until fluid and even.
Make the sponge
In another bowl whisk 3 eggs with 75g sugar using electric whisks: it should be airy but not too much. Add 75g flour, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 pinch of salt. Mix until smooth.
Make the caramel
In a small saucepan put 150g sugar and 150g water. Turn on a medium-low flame. Let it boil until it reaches 160°C and turns light amber (1-2 minutes later it will look liquid but don’t worry). Turn off and pour the caramel into the pan, rotating to coat the bottom.
Assemble
Pour all the custard over the caramel, then pour the sponge mixture on top. If it’s not even, level only with the tip of a knife at water level, without mixing. While baking, the two mixtures separate by themselves.
Bake in a water bath
Put the pan inside a larger baking dish. Pour hot water into the outer dish up to half the pan’s height. Bake at 170°C conventional for 60–75 min. It’s ready when the centre is wobbly like pudding but not liquid.
Cool
Take it out of the water bath, let it cool to room temperature, then in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).
Unmould
Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Dip the bottom of the pan in boiling water for 2 minutes, run a small knife along the edges and flip onto a plate.
If it doesn’t release: repeat the dipping for longer. If it still won’t budge, use medium heat from a hairdryer on the bottom. Yes, really. Tested and works.
Once unmoulded and cold, the slice is soft and moist. The caramel at the bottom has turned into a golden syrup running down the sides. Worth all the anxiety of those 7 hours of mistakes.
Note
Decorate with toppings or fresh flowers — it makes more of a party.
Comments & questions