Creme caramel

Put 75 g of sugar and the water in a pan over high heat and wait for a caramel; it stays white and bubbling for a long time and only browns at the last minute.

At a golden colour take it straight off the heat and pour it immediately into the ramekins, a thin disc coating the bottom of each. Caramel is extremely hot and dangerous.

Line a roasting tray with baking paper and stand the ramekins on it.

Boil water in a kettle or a pan and keep it to hand.

Set the tray and the ramekins in position first; the water goes in last, at the open oven door, because carrying a full tray slops the water into the custards.

Put the milk in a pan over low to medium heat with the vanilla powder.

Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.

Break three eggs and mix them a little like an omelette, then add all the sugar and start mixing at once -- sugar left sitting on the eggs burns them.

Whisk until the mix goes whitish.

Bring the milk to the boil and let it boil barely a minute, or even 30 seconds.

Pour the hot milk into the egg mix a little at a time so the eggs do not cook.

Scoop the foam off into another container until the mix is clear.

Pass the mix through a sieve to catch shell or debris.

Pour the mix gently into each ramekin, almost to the top.

With the tray already in the oven, pour the boiling water into it gently, without overflowing into the ramekins.

Push the tray in, close the door and cook 35 minutes. The introduction gives the cooking time as 45 minutes and the bain-marie as 40 minutes.

Test by plunging a knife in; it comes out clean when the custard is cooked.

Leave to rest, then refrigerate until cold -- an hour was enough here.

To turn out, plunge a knife and run it all the way around so every side disconnects and air gets in, then invert and tap.