DIY Network

Healthy Dessert: Creme Caramel From "Ask DIY" episode ADI-704

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This creme caramel has only about 1/3 the calories -- and less than half the fat -- of a comparable dessert served at a fine restaurant. Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G

Q: I had creme caramel at a restaurant and would like to learn how to make it. Do you have any recipes lower in fat and calories

A: (DIY's "Dr. Gourmet" Tim Harlan) Creme caramel is a delicious dessert, but is typically is high in calories and fat -- around 300 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving. However, by substituting some ingredients we were able to make a low-fat version containing only 100 calories and 4 grams of fat. Here's how.

Ingredients:

1/2-cup of sugar
4-ounce carton of egg substitute
2 egg yolks
1/2-cup of Splenda no-calorie sweetener
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract 2 cups warmed 2-percent milk


Steps:

• Start by making the caramel. Add 1/2-cup of sugar to a pot containing 1/2-cup of boiling water. Stir with a whisk as the sugar dissolves. Bring the solution to the highest temperature you can on your stove, and cook the solution down for about 10 minutes. The result is a dark, brown syrupy sauce.
  
  
  
• Divide the sauce evenly by pouring equal amounts (about 2 tbsp.) of the sauce into six pyrex ramekins (figure A).
  
  
  
• The next phase is making the custard. Using a large measuring cup for mixing ingredients add the following: 4-ounce carton of egg substitute
  2 egg yolks
  1/2-cup of Splenda no-calorie sweetener
  1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  
  
  
• Gently whisk these ingredients until mixed thoroughly, then pour two cups of warmed 2-percent milk into the mixture (figure B).

  Important: Pour the warmed milk into the mixture slowly. If the milk is too hot, or you add it too quickly, it will "cook" the eggs in the mixture -- resulting in something like scrambled eggs.
  
  
  

• Once the milk is poured and stirred into the custard mixture, carefully pour equal amounts of the mixture into each of the ramekins containing the caramel (figure C).
  
  
  
• The desserts are then baked in a water bath. Once you've evenly divided the custard among the containers, place them into a baking pan and pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the pan (figure D).
  
  
  
• Bake the desserts in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. As the desserts cook slowly, the custard solidifies and the caramel separates to the bottom of the containers. These need to cook slowly to prevent the custard from becoming tough.
  
  
  
• After 35 minutes, carefully remove the desserts from the oven (figure E). After they've cooled slightly, place them in a refrigerator to chill for about 4 hours.
  
  
  
• Remove the chilled desserts, and loosen them from their individual ramekins by running a small spatula around their edges (figure F).
  
  
  
• Carefully turn each ramekin upside-down to plate the dessert on a serving dish (figure G). Serve right away.

RESOURCES :
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Fruit Dishes and Desserts
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Author: Readers Digest Editor
(1999)

Readers Digest
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Dessert (The Williams-Sonoma Collection)
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To order this title from Amazon, click here.

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Luscious Low Fat Desserts
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Author: Marie Oser

1,001 Low-Fat Desserts
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