CARAMEL CUSTARD (MADE IN AN INSTANT POT)

This is my friend Sharmin's recipe. Sharmin grew up in a house on a hill in beautiful Shillong, Meghalaya, surrounded by tea gardens and mountains. She has documented and shared Assamese cuisine on https://www.facebook.com/assameserecipes Cooked and served by my dear friend in her elegant and beautiful Dubai home, this is a decadent dessert and the most delicious caramel custard I have ever eaten in my life. Thank you Sharmin for sharing this recipe with me and letting me share it with the world. One day, Sharmin and I will spend time together in her pretty house on the hill. We will read and talk about recipes, and give our imaginations free rein, and write stories and cook books and novels.

Ingredients

1 300 ml can of condensed milk

600 ml milk

3 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 - 1 1/2 tsp corn starch dissolved in cold milk (this helps achieve a firmer consistency and the custard can be easily unmoulded)

2 tablespoons of sugar to make caramel

Butter to grease the custard dish

1 cup of water to create a bain marie in the Instant Pot

Put the sugar in a heavy bottomed pan on a low flame with a few drops of water. Stir frequently till sugar turns golden brown and is bubbling. (I suggest watching YouTube videos on how to make a perfect caramel. I did not and it wasn't the best caramel.)

Pour the caramel into a greased dish. I used a pyrex dish. (Mine was lumpy but it all evened out when the caramel custard was made). Note - let the caramel cool before pouring the egg mixture into the dish.

Dissolve the corn starch in cold milk. Mix the condensed milk and milk together. Add the vanilla and corn starch dissolved in milk to this. Whisk the eggs lightly in a bowl.  Do not froth. Make sure eggs are whisked smooth and that there are no stringy bits. Add to the milk and whisk it in. Pour into the dish over the caramelised sugar. 

It looked like there were bits in it but it was perfect when it was done. Cover with tin foil.

Pour a cup of water into the instant pot. I used a 6 quart Viva Instant Pot (similar to the Duo Plus) to make this recipe. Use the stand that comes with the Instant Pot and lower the covered dish of caramel custard into the Instant Pot. Use the Pressure Cook option, turn the pressure knob to sealing, and cook on High for 9 minutes. Leave in the Instant Pot till the pressure is fully released. Remove from Instant Pot and let it cool. Unmould caramel custard onto a plate and chill thoroughly before serving.