Salted egg yolk creme caramel

There are few things as pleasurable as eating creamy desserts. Creme brûlée, bavarois, Basque cheesecake, pot de creme, egg tarts, far Breton.. And creme caramels, or flan, which is very similar but usually made with a different dairy to creme caramel.

According to wikipedia creme caramel has its roots in the Roman Empire as a honeyed baked custard served with black pepper (mmm black pepper creme caramel, yes please), but any version we would recognise can be traced back to medieval Spain.

Creme caramel, like other desserts who had their glory days when my parents were young, seem to be having a comeback at the moment with chefs dusting off the retro or fully embracing the 70’s and 80’s aesthetics.

Personally I love custard desserts with a side of something fruity like roasted rhubarb or grilled peaches, caramelised oranges, poached quince, roasted strawberries - possibilities are endless. But it does give that burst of juiciness that brightens up the sweet creaminess of especially a creme caramel.

I have made this recipe with salted egg yolks, that intensify the rich creaminess of the yolks and give a distinct saltiness to the sweet custard. Personally I love this contrast with the sweet, salty custard and burnished bittersweet intensity of the caramel. If salty custards are not your thing, simply skip that step and use fresh yolks.