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Purin (Japanese custard pudding)

Name: Purin (Japanese custard pudding)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 60 g sugar; 2 tbsp water; 1 tbsp hot water; 300 ml whole milk; 50 g sugar; 3 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 5 g butter

Caramel custard pudding

プリン · Firm, retro custard pudding with bitter caramel

Features:Vegetarian

Make ahead Kid friendly

Cuisine:

Japanese

Old-fashioned Tokyo kissaten pride themselves on purin that stands up on the plate: a firm, slightly bouncy custard under a dark, bittersweet caramel, served in a glass dish with a long spoon. It is a favourite dessert for children and nostalgic adults alike, and it keeps for two days in the fridge. The mistake that ruins it is too much heat; a hot oven or rolling boil makes the custard puff and fill with tiny holes (called su), so bake it gently in a water bath. Chef's tip: take the caramel darker than you think, to a deep mahogany, because its bitterness is what balances the sweet custard.

Total time: 60 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

For the caramel

2 ⅛ oz sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp hot water

For the custard

1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 ¾ oz sugar
3 eggslarge
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅛ oz butterfor greasing

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What you'll need

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (3)

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Method

0/8 done

Step 1: Heat the oven to 300°F and boil a kettle. Grease four 150 ml ramekins with ⅛ oz butter.
Step 2: Put 2 ⅛ oz sugar and 2 tbsp water in a small pan over a medium heat. Swirl (don't stir) until it turns a deep amber-brown and smells toasty.
6 min
Step 3: Take off the heat and carefully add 1 tbsp hot water; it will spit. Swirl, then pour straight into the ramekins and leave to set.
Step 4: Warm 1 ¼ cups whole milk with 1 ¾ oz sugar until steaming and the sugar has dissolved; do not let it boil.
3 min
Step 5: Whisk 3 eggs gently in a jug, without making foam. Slowly pour in the warm milk, stirring, then add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Strain through a fine sieve and skim off any bubbles.
Step 6: Pour the custard over the caramel. Set the ramekins in a deep tin lined with a tea towel and pour in hot water to halfway up. Cover the tin loosely with foil.
Step 7: Bake until the custards are set at the edge with a slight wobble in the centre, like firm jelly.
40 min
Step 8: Cool, then chill for at least 3 hours. Run a knife round the edge and turn out onto plates so the caramel runs down the sides.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 220 kcal
Protein: 8 g
Carbs: 32 g
Fat: 7 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does purin (Japanese custard pudding) take?: About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?: Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?: Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of sugar?: Caster sugar, same amount.
What can I use instead of whole milk?: Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).

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