Purin (Japanese Custard Pudding)

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C), conventional setting. Very lightly butter the inside of 4 ramekins of 150 ml (5 oz) each and set them in a high-sided baking dish lined with a folded kitchen towel, which keeps them from sliding and from overheating at the bottom. Put water on to heat in a kettle for the water bath.
2. Make the caramel: put 60 g (about 5 tablespoons) of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without stirring. Once the sugar has dissolved and is bubbling, swirl the pan to even out the color. After 6 to 8 minutes, when it's deep amber, the color of strong tea, take it off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of hot water, standing back because it spatters. Swirl to combine.
3. Immediately divide the caramel among the ramekins and tilt them to coat the bottoms. Let it harden while you make the custard: it may crack a little, which is normal.
4. Heat the milk with the remaining 55 g (about 1/4 cup) of sugar until the sugar dissolves and the milk reaches about 140°F (60°C): it steams slightly and still feels bearable on your finger. Don't let it boil.
5. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the yolk, and mix with a fork or a whisk kept on the bottom of the bowl, without making foam: you just want to break up the whites. Pour in the hot milk in a thin stream while stirring gently, then add the vanilla extract.
6. Strain the custard twice through a fine-mesh sieve. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then skim off all the surface foam with a spoon or by laying a paper towel on top and lifting it off right away. Pour it gently into the ramekins, down the side, so you don't create bubbles.
7. Cover each ramekin with a square of aluminum foil. Pour the hot water from the kettle into the dish until it comes halfway up the ramekins and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Check for doneness by gently shaking a ramekin: the surface is set and the center jiggles as one piece, like gelatin, with no liquid wave. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, and the custard reads 175 to 180°F (80 to 82°C) in the center. Lift the ramekins out of the water bath.
9. Let them cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the custard firms up and the caramel liquefies.
10. To unmold, run a thin knife all around the custard, pressing against the side of the ramekin and going all the way to the bottom. Tilt the ramekin to let a little air in under the custard, set a shallow bowl upside down on top, flip it over in one quick motion, and shake once or twice straight up and down: the purin slides out and the caramel runs down its sides.