Lemon Caramel Custard-Gourmet Magazine, February 1972

Mine above-Gourmet Magazine's below. I like my plate better. They made tuilles. Screw tuilles. There isn't a more pointless, worthless biscuit in all the world than tuilles. Because I can't make them.



If you make this-use a metal pan. I cracked my glass pan making this, though through some miracle the cracks didn't come to the surface and ruin the custard. That's nice-the Pyrex was pretty old, but I'd have been pissed at ruining all those eggs and cream (that cost more than a new Pyrex dish).

I managed to do this without causing myself severe burns from molten sugar, but I really must caution you to work carefully with this stuff. With carmelised sugar I always feel like it would be so much better if I let it go a second or two longer, but then fear takes over, and I tip it out of the pan too soon. That said, the house smelled like burnt sugar for an hour after I made this-mind, that's a good smell, but it does make me wonder just how much deeper, and darker it could get before being actually burnt.

This will need plenty of time to set (it was still quite loose when I removed it from the oven, but over the course of eight hours it did firm-up). If you plan to serve it the same evening you make it, give it at least six hours of time in the fridge-the longer the better.

You Will Need:

For the caramel:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Pinch of cream of tartar

In a heavy skillet combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar and cook over medium heat until it turns to a rich, golden caramel. Pour the caramel into a 9x5x3 loaf pan (use metal!) and set aside while you make custard.

For the Custard:

3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 whole, large eggs
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Have a pan ready to set the baking dish in, and enough boiling water to fill it halfway up the pan (I used an old, oval roasing pan for the water bath).

In a saucepan, scald the milk and cream until steaming. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until it is light and frothy. Slowly, in a stream, whisk in the milk/cream. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Strain through a fine sieve. Pour over caramel in pan, and then cover with a piece of heavy foil. Place in roasting pan and carefuilly surround with water halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake 1 hour. Remove to a rack to cool, remove the foil and when room temperature, transfer to the fridge to chill several hours before serving.

To unmould-carefully run a thin knife around the sides to loosen, and invert on a plate. Serve with the caramel sauce surrounding the custard.