Ingredients
- 120ml dark Quebec maple syrup (for caramel)
- 4 eggs
- 500ml whole milk
- 80ml amber Quebec maple syrup (for custard)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Boil 120ml dark maple syrup in a saucepan until slightly thickened, then pour into 6 ramekins.
- Whisk eggs, 80ml amber maple syrup, whole milk, and vanilla together until smooth.
- Pour the custard mixture into the ramekins over the cooled maple caramel layer.
- Place ramekins in a water bath and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 35 minutes until just set.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 150g sugar for caramel + 80g sugar for custard
Conversion used: Replaced all sugars with Quebec maple syrup (120ml reduced for the caramel base, 80ml for the custard). Oven temperature lowered to 150°C to ensure a silky custard.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple syrup offers an effortless, pre-liquefied caramel layer with complex woody notes, eliminating the bitter risk of dry-burned white sugar.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →