Baked Caramel Custard
1 quart milk. 5 eggs. ½ cup sugar. ½ teaspoon vanilla. ¼ cup caramel sirup. ¼ teaspoon salt. Butter.
Heat the milk slightly with the sugar, salt, and caramel sirup. Be sure the caramel sirup is entirely dissolved before this mixture is poured into the lightly beaten eggs. Add the vanilla. Pour the mixture into custard cups, and add a small piece of butter to each. Bake in a pan surrounded by water in a slow oven (325°F.). Test by placing the point of a knife in the center of the custard and if it comes out clean remove the cups of custard at once from the hot water. The custards may be served either hot or cold with caramel sirup if more caramel flavor is desired.
Sugar can be caramelized easily by placing it in a heavy skillet over slow even heat, and stirring it constantly until it melts and becomes a heavy brown sirup. As soon as it reaches this stage take it from the fire at once, and use it for flavoring and sweetening the custard.