Salted Caramel Custard

Salted caramel custard is a delicious layered dessert with cookie crumbs on the bottom, a layer of caramel custard in the middle, luscious salted caramel on top garnished with whipped cream and cookie crumbs.

Salted Caramel Custard & a Belated Eid Mubarak

Belated Eid Mubarak everyone! Whether you celebrated it simply or in a much more festive manner, I hope it was spent in the midst of family & friends. That is what Eid is all about – family & togetherness. 

I remember as a child, Eid was about new clothes, the delicious food, and of course the Eidi. Getting all dressed up with matching shoes & churiyaan (bangles); going from one house to another to meet relatives & discussing where we would get the yummiest treats; collecting Eidi in little purses, counting it up and then comparing who had gotten the most. 

As an adult, things remain the same but my perception has changed. I still get new clothes, but I try to make sure the less fortunate around me have Eid clothes too; I don’t throw a fuss if there’s a tailor mishap or if I don’t have matching shoes. It’s still about the food, but its about appreciating the love & care that someone went through to make a favourite dish for their nieces/nephews. It’s about trying new things & complimenting each other instead of being a critic. Lastly, the Eidi. It’s not about the monetary amount anymore, but a token which reminds me that while I might be an adult, I am still a little girl in front of the my family who loves me.

There is nothing traditional about the dessert that I am sharing today but its an Eid trend that I started a few years back. Ever since I discovered this food passion of mine, I have taken over making desserts for family parties. The response has been brilliant (Alhamdullillah) with the family looking forward to my desserts so much so that every year, I try to outdo myself. So multiple desserts & over the top desserts & staying up half the night is a new habit. But it’s all worth it when I start taking away the dessert dishes, and I realize there’s nothing left.

This particular dessert recipe I saw online on Bon Appetit. A layered dessert with caramel custard and salted caramel sauce on top – it just called out my name, and I had to make it ASAP! It did take me a bit of time to make the dessert as there are a few elements in it, but they can be done in advance and it’s a matter of following the steps. From then on, this dessert has become a favourite for Eid and dawaats.

Would love it if you could try out and rate the recipe, and let me know how it was in the comments below! 

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Salted Caramel Custard

Salted caramel custard is a delicious layered dessert with cookie crumbs on the bottom, a layer of caramel custard in the middle, luscious salted caramel on top garnished with whipped cream and cookie crumbs. It can be served in individual mini bowls or in a large family style bowl. 

Course Dessert, Sweet

Cuisine International

Prep Time 5 hours

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 4720 kcal

Ingredients

For the cookie crust:

• 1 1/4 cup finely ground/crushed chocolate cookie crumbs I used 2 family rolls of Oreo's.
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the caramel custard:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk divided
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cornflour
• 5 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salted Caramel

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt best to use sea salt flakes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup cream (dairy cream or whipping cream) tetra-pak can be substituted but make sure it’s chilled otherwise it won’t whip up properly
• 2 teaspoons fine granulated sugar

Instructions

Cookie Crust:

1. Mix cookie crumbs, salt, and butter in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the cookie mixture for garnish.

Caramel Custard:

1. To make the caramel, stir the brown sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat, and cook without stirring until a thermometer reads 210 – 220 degrees F (100 degrees C) . The mixture will reduce a bit, and it will become a thick syrup similar to normal caramel. Remove from heat. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornflour until combined. Set aside.

   In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 3 cups of milk until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside. 
   

3. In a steel bowl whisk egg yolks on medium speed using a hand mixer for about 3 minutes.
   

4. With mixer on low speed, gradually whisk in the hot milk, then the cornflour mixture into the eggs. Use a ladle or a large spoon to add the milk gradually because if the hot milk is added at once, the eggs may cook and curdle.

   Once all the milk is added, slowly add the caramel, and keep whisking. 

   Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat, until the mixture thickens (coats back of a spoon) and a thermometer registers 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 7 to 10 minutes. 
   

5. Remove the thickened custard mixture from the heat. 

   Add in the butter, vanilla essence and salt. Whisk together well.

   Pour this mixture through a sieve/muslin cloth to make the custard/pudding smooth and silky. 

6. Cover the custard with a clingfilm to prevent a skin forming on the top, and let it cool for about 20 minutes outside. Put the custard in the fridge for about 4 hours or overnight till it is chilled. 

Salted Caramel Sauce

1. Heat sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Turn the saucepan occasionally to ensure that the heat is even on all sides, until sugar forms a deep amber color, 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Gradually add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously so be careful). Whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. In case the caramel seizes (which may happen if the cream is cold), just cook it on low heat till the caramel melts.

3. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and salt. If any crystals/hard sugar has formed, stir the caramel over very low heat until the hardened pieces melt and the sauce becomes smooth.

Whipped Cream

1. In a bowl whisk cream and sugar with a hand mixer on high until soft peaks form.

Assembly:

1. Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a large glass bowl. Set aside.

2. Spoon the caramel custard over the cookie crumbs. Spoon about 1/2 of the salted caramel sauce over caramel custard/pudding and top with lightly whipped cream.

3. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs & drizzle of salted caramel. Make sure it is chilled before serving.

4. The salted caramel custard can be made in a big glass bowl or individual glasses/bowls as well.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit. 

Assembly: Can be assembled in a large glass bowl or in small glasses/round bowls for individual servings. Assembly should be done before serving or at 1-2 hours before serving so that the biscuit crust doesn’t get soggy.

Make-ahead: Salted caramel sauce can be made ahead by least a week and refrigerated, the custard can be made 1 - 2 days earlier.