BAKED CUSTARD

Keep head above water

Nothing stops you from using your cast-iron potjie to make a creamy crème caramel for dessert.

Ingredients

(serves 6)

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup boiling water

1 can (385 g) condensed milk 1 empty condensed milk can, filled to the brim with milk 3 extra-large eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (or use whiskey) a pinch of maldon sea salt

Here’s how

1 Stir together the sugar and boiling water in a saucepan and heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Heat it to boiling point and cook until the caramel turns golden – dark or light, just the way you like it.

2 Immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of a bread pan – even if it’s very hot! – and set aside to cool. (No need to grease the pan; that’s one of the beauties of this dessert.)

3 Beat together the rest of the ingredients until just smooth. Try not to beat in too many frothy air bubbles as it may show up in the end product. Pour the custard through a sieve, and then pour it over the back of a spoon on top of the caramel in the bread pan.

4 Cover the pan with foil, place the pan in a large flat-bottomed potjie, then pour enough hot water into the pot so that the pan is covered halfway. Place the potjie on a tripod stand over some coals with a few more coals on the lid – like when you make pot bread – and “bake” it for 50-60 minutes, or until the dessert wiggles when you give it a light shake.

5 Remove the pan from the water, allow to cool, and place the pudding in the fridge for at least two hours (preferably overnight) before serving. To turn out, use a knife to carefully loosen the dessert around the edge, place a plate over the top of the bread pan, and turn it over in a quickly. Lift the bread pan and serve.

Drive & Camp says You can also decorate it with crushed meringue and caramel popcorn… Or simply slice and enjoy.