Monday 10 March 2014

Five days


D was away the whole of last week. Well, five days to be fair. But five days too far gone. In yonder-off Canada; a different continent, across Large Water Body, where people go to sleep when we're waking up. I know there's a sea of travelling spouses and partners out there, but thankfully they're not mine. I feel limbless without D to wrestle and hug and wake up to.


It was also Chotto-ma's first stretch without Ba. She missed him so much that she decided to pretend he was in the bathroom. She also wrote him notes, drew him messages and licked his face on skype.


She wrote me a note too, and gave it to me (in an envelope) right after D left for the airport.



Yes, we can make a big soppy brouhaha about five days, which in Chotto-ma's words was "sixty-five days". To hell with moderation, to hell with anti-mush. When he walked in through the door on Saturday morning, we were on him like cling-film on leftovers.

So how did we spend those 'sixty-five days'? Well, apart from waiting for D to come back, we:

Overfed the ducks in the river.

Played dominoes.

Played hooky from school to watch Kung Fu Panda while eating dumplings.

Read books - she hers, I mine.

Had long conversations about life (it's the coolest thing; the things Chotto-ma and I talk about now, cuddled up on the sofa with a blanket on our legs.)

Ate dark red juicy plums.

Brought in spring.

Danced to Fleetwood Mac.

Baked D a Crème Caramel.













Crème Caramel

In India, a crème caramel is called 'pudding'. A pudding is a crème caramel. So, when we first moved to England that's what I expected everyone to agree to. Pudding = crème caramel. But no. Here, pudding = dessert. Everything is a pudding: a tart, a sponge cake, a cheesecake, fruits with jelly and custard. Everything. This seismic food-shift, this pudding-shock, took more time to get used to than the British weather.

In my life, I've had the good fortune of having two people who were masters at the pudding game: Monipishi (what I call my Baba's sister) and Bubulma (what Chotto-ma calls D's mother) - both known (far and wide) for their perfect puddings. Their crème caramels differ from each other's in subtle ways. Monipishi's has a light but slightly denser, maltier, more wholesome texture because she soaks and mixes tea biscuits (Marie in India or Rich Tea in the UK) into the milk base to thicken it before making the pudding; her caramel top is also darker and with a bitter edge, which I love). Bubulma's crème caramels were smooth and silken, light, with firm feet and a jiggly hip, and a more subtle caramel. The first is very close to the Portuguese Pudim Flan, and the second more like the French crème caramel. 

But. Years ago, the first time I ever tried to make a pudding, the only time I ever tried making a pudding: Disaster. My crème caramel collapsed like a Victorian lady whom no amount of sniffing salt could revive. This time, I was determined to do better. Not just I, but Chotto-ma and I. Chotto-ma, my little egg beater. My crème caramel conspirator.

And we did better than better.







NOTE: This recipe is for is Bubulma's silken version. For Monipishi's more wholesome take, in which the spoon slides in smoothly but finds the slightest resistance of a soft cake at the bottom, add 4-6 tea biscuits to the thickened milk mentioned in the recipe, soak till soft, and then mix in well.

Both Monipishi and Bubulma thickened the milk through a gentle boil, since in India it is not usual to add cream to the milk to make it thicker, as with most recipes in the West. 


Ingredients

4 eggs
4 cups of thickened milk (to thicken: gently boil 8-9 cups of milk till halved)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4th cup sugar (I don't like my puddings too sweet, so add more if you like)
4 tbs sugar (for the caramel)



Heat oven to 150 degrees celsius.

Take a round baking dish (mine was about 23 cm in diameter) and keep ready. In a small pan, add about 1/2 cup water and the 4 tbsps of sugar for the caramel. Put the pan on the heat. As the water evaporates, the sugar will start to caramelise. When it is a lovely deep amber (or slightly darker, if you want the bitter edge), tip the caramel into the baking dish. Swirl the dish so the caramel spreads and coats the bottom. Let the baking dish cool. The caramel will quickly solidify and set.

Beat the eggs well with the sugar. Mix four cups of the thickened milk into the eggs. Add the vanilla extract. Pour in the milk-egg mix into the baking dish. Take a deep tray and fill it with about an inch of water. Place the baking dish on this. Slip the tray into the lower shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes.

When it's done, the top should be browned, though the crème caramel will have a worrying jiggle - as long as the jiggle is firm(ish) and not sloppy, don't worry. Take it out, let it cool. Put in into the refrigerator overnight. (I know, it takes the greatest of will and determination to not eat a dessert as soon as it's done! I feel you.)

Next day, slide a knife along the edges to loosen the pudding. Hold a serving plate on top of the dish and turn it upside down. Wait. The pudding should plop down, along with the lovely, caramely syrup.




  





 

30 comments:

  1. that's a gorgeous creme caramel. and i totally under the anguish of the '65 days'

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    1. Thanks Nags! All anguish must always be answered with a Crème Caramel, methinks :)

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  2. First time on your blog...
    My mom also makes "pudding" like this!!! Only she would steam it in the pressure cooker. I love how it plonks out of the steel tiffin box on to the serving platter with dark caramel on top. I think its called 'Flan" in the US... though not sure... This post certainly brought back memories.... I loved your writing too... will come back for sure...

    Progna

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    1. Progna, I bemoaned the lack of a steel tiffin box while making this. It's an essential part of the Pudding experience! My Ma still makes it in the pressure-cooker, oven be damned.
      Look forward to having you back xx

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  3. Good lord! What a gorgeous looking creme caramel! And a lovely story too.
    I know that limbless feeling..the kind that makes five says feel like sixty five.

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    1. Thank you. For the kind words, and the solidarity. Glad to report that the limbs are back on :)

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  4. Ah.. that limbless feeling! LD and I know it too well :)
    And what a lovely post Pia! You must seriously consider writing a book, A book which I can hold in my hand, touch the words and put it under my pillow or on my chest when I sleep only to dream about your beautiful stories.
    Beautiful... Just beautiful!

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    1. Thank you, Sia. For such a precious note - I'll keep your words under my pillow tonight. A big hug!

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  5. you stories get me so emotional Pia. Big hug, you brave people:-)

    Design a quirky recipe card for yourself no?

    the caramel looks so luscious. Its my absolute favorite in desserts.

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    1. Haha! Brave people, indeed. We're wimps :p
      A recipe card - hmm, something to think about, Anita. I remember yours; very cool.
      (And it's my absolute favourite too. If there's a soul-dessert, this is mine)

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  6. You have an amazing blog! Great pics! The recipe looks simple and awesome. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Ok, let me count the things I loved about this post - the milk jug, the notes (precious handwriting), the serving plates (I think I've mentioned my love for that blue and white plate before), the caramel custard (as we call it at home) and Chotto- ma's baby hands. I love how you write and this was so beautifully written (the way most things that are close to the heart, tend to be!).

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    1. I love your love-list :)
      And Caramel Custard! Of course, how did I not remember it's also called that?
      Well, a 'pudding by any other name...'
      Thanks, Roxana :)

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  8. Fleetwood Mac, ducks, and baking. You two did pretty well.

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  9. How cute! Enjoyed your writing ',Mishti'. You can't separate Daddies and Daughters!

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  10. That creme caramel is very much a lady and not a damsel in distress either! Pudding or dessert, whatever you call it, it makes everything better :-)

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    1. It does, it does. Deepa! :)
      That lady-of-a-pudding didn't last long; must make ourselves another this weekend.

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  11. This post actually made my eyes go moist. I cannot explain why, but first I laughed and then...imagining the people I miss being in the bathroom (I guess they are helping eachother holding ladders and things to skrew in a lightbulb) Thank you for bringing me that image and the tears that go with it

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    1. Afra, thank you for such kind words. Yes, screwing a lightbulb - when your loved ones are far, far away, there's such comfort in imagining them doing mundane little chores.

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  12. This creme caramel looks divine. I also go crazy when my husband travels for work - he heads off to China way too much for my liking. Maybe next time I'll make him this dessert when he comes home!

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    1. Yes, it's a good dessert to come home to, Sarah! Though not if it makes him travel even more :)

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  13. Awww @ licked his face on Skype and 'felt like 65 days'

    I am not a big fan of puddings, but I loved the sight of your creme caramel. It looks gorgeous!

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  14. Piya, i love your blog so beautifully written and i can absolutely relate to you, my hubby has been away working in US since last saturday and not back till hopefully tomorrow...and ah as you said missing him tons both little one (five and of course as you say not to forget the half year old little baby Z). I love that you are instilling such a love for books in her, baby Z loves books too and though we havent kept her away from the touchscreen we do limit her to 10mins a day :-) which i thought was a fair compromise but like you no video games at all we dont own any...much better to be out in the open air and we too with her :)

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  15. PS: forgot to say the creme caramel looks perfect !

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    1. A kindred spirit then, Fatima. Yes, so much better to be out and about - even though the weather here tries its best to keep you indoors a lot of the time :)
      It's lovely to have you here, Fatima. I hope hubby is back home to you and the little ones.

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  16. THe most perfect pudding. Bravo!
    My father in law makes these and I guess I have never tried hard enough to learn his method but now you've inspired me to call him up and ask him again for a recipe.

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    1. Your father-in-law and my mother-in-law have pudding in common, then :)
      Yes, try his recipe...it's a good thing to pass down generations!

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