Jiggly Japanese Purin Creamy Baked Custard Pudding with Caramel

Ah, Purin! If there’s one thing that always reminds me of the simple and perfect sweetness of Japanese sweets, it’s this classic Japanese egg pudding. The Japanese are super good at taking ingredients and techniques from other countries and turning them into their own versions, tuned to the Japanese taste. Pudding is such a big deal in Japan that ready made puddings, and even boxed pudding where you only have to add milk and egg, are an entire industry by themselves.

I like to think of purin as a cousin of the classic flan, but less sweet, with a bigger contrast against the bittersweet caramel, and much more “fuwa fuwa” or “puru puru”, which are the Japanese sounds for something soft and jiggly that wobbles from side to side hehehe kawaiiiii 😀

I had already made a version of Japanese pudding steamed in the stovetop, but this time I went with the baked version in a water bath in the oven. Flavor wise they are very much alike, but texture wise I prefer this one, because it comes out a little denser and creamier. So let’s get to the recipe!

Jiggly Japanese Purin Creamy Baked Custard Pudding with Caramel

Servings: 4
Time: 50mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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This is perfect if you love puddings but are always using the same recipe. This kind of pudding is lighter, less sweet and made with simple, cheaper ingredients that you probably already have at home, so it’s a great way to try something new without spending much. ;D

Ingredients

Milk – 400ml (Whole)
Heavy Cream – 100ml
Vanilla – 1 teaspoon (extract)
Eggs – 3 large (room temperature)
Sugar – 70g
Water – 40ml (for the caramel)
Sugar – 100g (for the caramel)

Directions

In a small pan, combine 100g of sugar and 40ml of water. Place over medium heat and allow the sugar to caramelize until it turns very dark, but not black, you want a deep, rich brown.

Pour a little of the caramel into the bottom of each ramekin or small oven-safe bowl.

In a small separate saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla. Heat over medium-low heat just until warmed through, do not let it come to a boil.

Separately, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Remove the saucepan containing the milk and cream from the heat. Then gradually add a small amount of the warm liquid to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Continue adding the liquid, a spoonful at a time, while stirring well to warm the eggs without causing them to curdle.

Preheat your oven to 150ºC (300ºF) and heat some water to use for a water bath in a roasting pan.

Add the custard mixture to each ramekin, then place the ramekins into the roasting pan and add the hot water to the pan (not the ramekins!!!! hehehe).
Bake for approximately 35–45 minutes (the exact time will depend on the size of the ramekins and the amount of custard in each). Keep an eye on them to ensure the tops don’t get too dark, if necessary, cover them with aluminum foil.
Once done, take them out, and allow them to cool. You can eat them once they’ve reached room temperature, but for the perfect texture, refrigerate them for at least 4 hours to set. Enjoy!

Notes & Tips: If your caramel gets too dark it will turn out too bitter, so take it off the heat one or two shades earlier than you think you should. It keeps cooking a little bit with the residual heat.

As you can see, I wasn’t as careful and the top of my puddings dried out a little, but they were delicious anyway (when you unmold that part is the bottom) 😀

For a pudding you need your eggs at room temperature, so leave them out of the fridge half an hour before making it.

Purin is infinitely better when it’s really cold. Leave it at least 4 hours in the fridge, or even better, overnight.

Pour the caramel into the ramekins right away, while it’s still runny, because it hardens fast as it cools. If it does harden in the pan, a few seconds back on the heat brings it back to life.

Be careful with the caramel, it’s much hotter than boiling water and it sticks to skin. Keep a bowl of cold water nearby and never taste it straight from the pan ;D

Don’t whisk the eggs too hard. You want them smooth, not foamy, because lots of bubbles will leave tiny holes in your pudding. If you see foam on top of the mixture before baking, just skim it off with a spoon.

Don’t skip the sieve. It’s the little step that gives you that silky texture with no lumps or bits of egg.

For the water bath, use hot water and fill the tray about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This keeps the heat gentle and even, which is the secret to a creamy pudding with no cracks.

To know when they’re ready, give a ramekin a gentle shake. The edges should be set and the center should still wobble a little, like jelly. It will keep setting as it cools, so don’t wait for it to be firm in the oven.

To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge, place a plate on top and flip it over in one quick move. The caramel will slide down and pool around the pudding like a little lake.

This recipe for Jiggly Japanese Purin Creamy Baked Custard Pudding with Caramel was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Purin Pudim de Ovos Japonês no Forno foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.