Ingredients for 4 people :
- 1 liter [2 pints] whole milk
- 6 eggs
- 120 gr [4 oz] sugar
- 20 gr [3/4 oz] vanilla sugar
- 1 vanilla bean

for caramel :
-160 gr [5 oz] sugar
- 5 Tbspoons water

Recipe :

1- Make the caramel : mix the water and sugar together in a small heavy saucepan ; bring to the boil on a high heat and swirl the pan once or twice without stirring ; the mixture should turn yellow/brown after a few minutes
2- When the caramel is ready, immediately pour some into a soufflé dish and swirl it quickly to coat the bottom with the caramel. Do it for each dish.
You must be quick because the caramel hardens as getting cooler...
3- Pre-heat oven 180°C/350°F.
4- In a saucepan, pour the milk, sugar and sugar ; add the vanilla pod split twice lengthwise (you need a sharp knife). Bring just to the boil on a low-medium flame, then remove from heat.
5- Meanwhile the milk is getting hot, beat the eggs in a large salad bowl. You must beat vigourously with a whisk so that they become frothy.
6- When milk is ready, slowly start to pour it in the eggs, still whisking vigourously up to the last bit of milk.
7- Evenly pour the milk in the 4 caramelized soufflé dishes (you can as well use 6 to 8 ramequins to serve more guests). Display them on the oven baking tray in which you must pour 1 cm / 1/2 in. water (the custard must cook at "bain-marie" way). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until they get brown.
8- Serve cold or warm.

TRICK : to verify if your custard is baked, push the point of a knife in the center of it ; if the blade comes out clean, the custards are ready...
You need to increase baking time if you use a large single dish, and vice versa.

TRICK : if you wish to drop steps 1 and 2, you still obtain a very good everyday dessert which your kids or nephews will love to watch get brown in oven !