Creme Caramel Recipe.
Our week on the barge from Porto Velho to Manaus has been greatly enhanced by the unexpected presence of the renowned gourmet and travelling chef known as "Crazy Buda".
In addition to his career as a dessert-chef, Mr. Buda also drives a 40 tonne truck for relaxation.
Because Mr. Buda spends a lot of his time cruising on the Amazon, many of his recipes have been slightly adapted to accommodate the more primitive facilities afforded by his mobile under-chassis kitchen box.
Buda's Creme Caramel.
Ingredients:
- 1 tin condensed milk (sweetened of course).
- 2 tins of whole milk (use the condensed milk tin to measure) UHT milk is fine.
- 1 level dessert spoon of flour.
- A pinch of salt.
- 2 eggs (Buda says "don't forget to smell each one first".)
- Sugar to caramelize.
- Desiccated coconut to decorate.
Utensils and Equipment.
In addition to the cooking equipment found on most 40 tonne trucks, this recipe calls for two items some newer truck drivers might not have:
A 24 volt blender. This may simply be hot-wired to the truck battery, if you don't have one permanently connected. (Buda says "take care to observe the correct polarity and don't short out your battery".)
A bain-marie with ring mould (Buda says "as you doubtless know, a bain-marie is simply a pan of hot water holding an inner pan for slow heating. [French, translation of medieval Latin balneum Mariae bath of Maria (a supposed alchemist)]".)
Method:
- Caramelize the sugar in the bottom of the ring mould.
- Use the blender to mix the first five ingredients. When frothy, pour into the ring mould.
- Place the ring mould into a pan of hot water on a low gas for 40 minutes. (Buda says "make sure you have sufficient gas before you start and don't move the truck whilst cooking".)
- Test when ready by inserting a knife. If it comes out clean then the creme caramel is ready.
- When cold, turn out onto a plate and sprinkle with coconut. (If your truck is refrigerated you can put the ring mould in the back to speed things up a little.)
Bom apetite!