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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Mar 9, 2013 · Modified: Sep 10, 2020 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 20 Comments

    Salted White Chocolate Custards

    Jump to Recipe

    Caramelized white chocolate is the new wonder in my baking world, and these creamy custards are the new dessert you were waiting for! Rich and unctuous, they have a unique flavor and can be made ahead.

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    In time everything becomes clear. One way or the other. In this case, I believe it's in the most decadent way. I think white chocolate was invented so that, one day, we could have salted caramelized white chocolate to fill our days. Emphasis on
    the salted aspect of it.

    I finally succumbed to its charms. And there's no going back.

    After I made it for the first time, I spend the next day and a half simply thinking about it, writing down all the things I wanted to do with it. And also opening the jar, spoon in hand, and slowly eating the whole thing, a few tablespoons each day. I don't remember being blown away in this way by a flavor in years.

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    When a whisper becomes as soft as a thunder there's no questioning it, you need to go to work.

    When a hint becomes obvious and you stumble with it one time after another in the course of a few days, it's probably time to do something about it.

    It started with Kate leaving me a comment in the dulce de leche mille feuille post about it. A few days later Liz posted some incredible cupcakes with it and by now it was more than a thought. Then I opened Emma's post about eclairs glazed with it; the time had come. I had to go into the kitchen and make a big batch of caramelized white chocolate. With salt. A very big one.

    I am repeating myself, I know.

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    But, you see, there's no middle ground when it comes to salted caramelized white chocolate. It's addictive. So, so addictive I quite frankly don't know what to tell you about it because words are not enough. You have to taste it. You really, really, really, really do.

    I had saved Dave Lebovitz's original post about it a few years ago and then forgot about it. It turns out that the masterminds at Valrhona, the extraordinary chocolate company, developed this way of baking white chocolate at low heat for quite a while, stirring it periodically, until it turned into a golden semi-liquid unctuous thing.

    They now sell it as a chocolate bar from what I heard.

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    Update 2018:

    White chocolate - you can buy the caramelized chocolate from Valrhona, Dulcey, which I also used for the white chocolate almond cookies. I simply love it. 

    I use it as regular white chocolate whenever I can. It wipes that extra step of caramelizing the chocolate on your own.

    When I first tasted it, while still warm, the feel in my mouth felt like Nutella. Coarse and almost cloying, but that for some inexplicable reason I couldn't stop eating.

    It hardens as the days go by, becoming completely solid in a day or two. But it melts in a minute in the microwave or hot water. So keep it in a glass jar that can be heated.

    Just don't taste it right out of the oven. It's hot, very hot and you'll burn your tongue. Just saying.

    These custards are very creamy but not dense. The whipped cream flavored with amaretto and sprinkled with orange zest is an amazing combination, one that wasn't planned but will be used in the future again.

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    Other recipes you might like:

    Dulce de Leche Coconut Fudge Truffles
    Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
    Double Chocolate Bark
    Triple Chocolate Peanut Clusters
    Killer Brownies
    Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows
    Mint Chocolate Brownies
    Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

    Salted Caramelized White Chocolate Custards

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    Caramelized white chocolate is the new wonder of my baking world, and these creamy custards are the new dessert you were waiting for!

    • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    For the custards:

    • 1 ½ cups  caramelized white chocolate or use Dulcey (see Notes below)
    • 1 ⅓ cups cream
    • 1 cup milk
    • 4 egg yolks, at room t°
    • Sea salt

    For the flavored cream:

    • ½ cup cream (whipped)
    • 1 teaspoon liqueur or vanilla (I use homemade amaretto)
    • Orange zest
    • Sliced toasted almonds

    Instructions

    For the custard:

    1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
    2. Have ready a baking tray with 6 individual ramekins.
    3. In a large bowl stir the egg yolks to blend. Reserve.
    4. In a medium saucepan heat caramelized white chocolate, cream and milk. Let it boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
    5. Slowly add this mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly and quickly to prevent curdling. Mix until well blended. Sieve the mixture into the ramekins, dividing evenly.
    6. Put the baking tray in the oven, and fill with 1 inch of hot water. Bake the custards until slightly jiggly, about 30 minutes.
    7. Let cool five minutes, and then cover with plastic wrap, letting it completely touch the top of the custards, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.
    8. Can be kept covered, in the refrigerator, for a few days.
    9. To serve, spoon some whipped cream on top of each custard, grate some zest over it and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

    For the flavored cream:

    1. In a bowl beat cream until beginning to thicken.
    2. Add liqueur or vanilla and beat to desired consistency.
    3. Keep refrigerated, covered.

    Notes

    Liquor: change the flavor of the cream and use your favorite fruity liquor.

    White chocolate: instead of caramelizing the chocolate,  I like to use the caramelized one from Valrhona, Dulcey. I simply love it.

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 60
    • Cook Time: 30
    • Category: Desserts
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Keywords: white chocolate custards

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

    Adapted from Home Baked Comfort, by Kim Laidlaw

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Karen Kerr says

      January 13, 2014 at 12:13 am

      Oh gosh, Paula! Now I'm going to obsess until I make these =)

      Reply
    2. Lisa says

      March 15, 2013 at 12:05 pm

      I've had DL's caramelized white chocolate post in my bookmarks for quite some time, and now that I've seen your luscious custards, not to mention Lizzy's whipped ganache frosting...it would take a castiron pan to the head for me not to try it!

      Reply
    3. Cake Duchess says

      March 15, 2013 at 1:24 am

      So I remember Lizzy's cupcakes and now I will be dreaming of this. I will have to get busy and caramelize white chocolate because your description is so tantalizing.xx

      Reply
    4. Cocoa and Lavender says

      March 13, 2013 at 5:53 pm

      By complete coincidence, the day you posted this was also the day I accidentally turned white chocolate into caramel. But my result was not so good because the chocolate (given to me as a gift - from someone who doesn't know me well) was the worst quality white chocolate and, in fact, might NOT have been chocolate at all! So sad. Anyway, I tried to melt both in the microwave and on the stove and got the same result - a grainy ,brown caramel. Now I know that if I use GOOD white chocolate, my results will be as tasty and beautiful as yours!n~ David

      Reply
    5. thelittleloaf says

      March 11, 2013 at 9:26 am

      These look like heaven in a ramekin. Can't get enough of caramelized white chocolate so will definitely be trying these!

      Reply
    6. Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says

      March 10, 2013 at 9:31 pm

      Oh Paula, yum! salt + caramel = love 🙂 Can't wait to try this.

      Reply
    7. Alice Choi says

      March 10, 2013 at 3:58 pm

      Paula!!! OMG! So this is that recipe you have been obsessed with?! I can see why. WOW. Lovely ! I must make these stat! My only fear is that I will eat everything! I did look at David Lebovitz's recipe with making my dulce de leche yesterday but ended up following one on Chow.com, which was basically the same thing. . and I did initially try to go out and buy some at the grocery store. I went to 2 but neither carried it! oh well! this ended well b/c I was able to make my own dulce de leche!

      Reply
    8. Liz Berg says

      March 10, 2013 at 2:32 pm

      Looks like I need to caramelize some more white chocolate...and QUICK! What a fantastic flavor combination for custards. I'm so honored to have inspired one of my favorite bakers around 🙂 xo

      Reply
    9. Laura Dembowski says

      March 10, 2013 at 12:31 pm

      I have a feeling this is worth burning your tongue! I love white chocolate and can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    10. Angie's Recipes says

      March 10, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      My husband loves chocolate, but crazy for the white. The custard sounds decadent.

      Reply
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