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1
Slide rack onto lower-middle level, and preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Cook the sugar and water to the caramel stage (see page 101), and pour half of it into the baking dish, swirling it rapidly around to coat bottom and sides.
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3
Add 4 to 5 tablespoons water to the remaining caramel in the pan and let simmer slowly to melt the caramel, thus turning it into a sauce for later.
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4
Stir with a whisk (but do not beat and cause bubbles) the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a bowl to blend them.
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5
Then, a little at a time at first to dissolve the sugar, stir in the hot milk, then the vanilla and salt.
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6
Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into the caramelized dish.
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7
Set dish in a high-sided roasting pan on the oven rack, and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the outside of the dish.
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8
Bake for about an hour, checking after 15 minutes to be sure water in roasting pan is maintained precisely at almost the simmerlittle bubbles.
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9
If the water is too hot the custard will be grainy, but if not hot enough it will take hours to cook.
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10
When Is It Done?
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11
When the center still trembles slightly, but a skewer plunged in 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.
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12
Remove dish from roasting pan and let custard settle at least 30 minutes.
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13
The custard may be served warm, at room temperature, or chilledif to be chilled, refrigerate, and cover when cold.
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14
(It can be refrigerated for 2 days.)
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15
To Unmold.
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16
Run a thin-bladed knife between custard and edge of dish.
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17
Turn a serving plate upside down over the dish and reverse the twothe custard will slowly slip out.
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18
Pour the reserved caramel sauce around the custard.
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19
INDIVIDUAL CARAMEL CUSTARDS.
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20
The preceding proportions will fill a dozen 2/3-cup Pyrex bowls 3 1/2 inches across.
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21
Line the bowls with caramel as described, fill with the custard mixture, and bake in a water bath at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, until set at the edges but with a slight tremble at the center.
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22
Unmold for serving.
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23
INDIVIDUAL MACAROON CUSTARDS.
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24
Caramelize individual bowls, as described above, and when hardened, smear with butter.
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25
Sprinkle pulverized macaroons in them to cover bottom and sides.
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26
Fill with the custard mixture.
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27
Bake, and unmold as described.
