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Greatest plates · Dessert
Pudim de Leite (Brazilian Baked Caramel Custard)
The Sunday dessert of every Brazilian family: a dense, smooth condensed-milk custard baked in a caramel-lined tin and turned out so the caramel runs down the sides. Everything but the caramel goes in a blender.
Serves 10Prep 15 minCook 60 minDesserteggs & dairy
Containsdairy · egg
Protein 10%Carbs 66%Fat 24%
About 262 kcal a serve — 7 g protein, 44 g carbs, 7 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 10
Method
Caramel into the tin
CaramelMelt the sugar in a dry pan over medium heat without stirring — swirl the pan instead — until it is a deep amber. Pour it straight into a ring tin and tilt to coat the base and sides. It sets hard in seconds; that is correct.
In the frying panCaramel →
8 min
Blend the custard and skim the foam
BlendBlend the condensed milk, milk, eggs and vanilla for a minute. Let it stand a moment and skim off the foam — that foam is what makes a bubbly pudim instead of a silky one.
In the blenderBlend →
2 min
Bake in a water bath
BakePour into the caramelled tin, cover with foil and sit it in a roasting dish. Pour boiling water into the dish to come halfway up the tin. Bake at 180C for about an hour — it is done when it barely wobbles in the centre. The water bath is not optional; without it the custard scrambles at the edges.
60 min
Chill overnight, then flip
ChillCool, then refrigerate at least six hours and preferably overnight. To turn out, sit the tin in hot water for thirty seconds, put a rimmed plate over it and flip in one movement — the caramel will have turned to sauce.
6 hr
Cook's noteUse a rimmed plate. The caramel becomes liquid in the fridge and goes everywhere on a flat one — this is the single most common way a good pudim ends up on the bench.
Want it lighter?
about 55 kcal less a serve, all swaps taken
These swaps lighten a naturally rich custard, but be honest with yourself: pudim relies on condensed milk for its dense, sweet, caramelly character, so a lighter version will taste less sweet and feel slightly less silky. It will still set and turn out cleanly.
200 g caster sugar (for the caramel) → 130 g caster sugar
A thinner caramel layer still coats the tin and runs down the sides, just with a little less pooling syrup. Watch it closely as less sugar can catch and burn faster.
395 g condensed milk (1 tin) → 250 g condensed milk plus 100 g plain unsweetened yoghurt
Cuts a big chunk of sugar and some fat while keeping body. The custard will be noticeably less sweet and a touch tangier, and very slightly less dense/fudgy.
395 ml milk (use the empty tin to measure) → 395 ml semi-skimmed or skim milk
Drops fat with almost no effect on set, since the eggs provide structure. Texture stays smooth, just marginally less creamy on the tongue.
4 whole eggs → 3 whole eggs plus 1 egg white
Removes one yolk to trim fat while keeping enough protein to set firmly. The custard sets a little lighter and slightly less rich.
Estimated per serve
262 kcal · 7 g protein · 44 g carbs · 7 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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