My husband has this neat little trick whenever he wants to tell me something unpleasant or something I will not be in favor of. He likes to email me from work so that I have about 7 hours to chill out before he gets home. He knows that my annoyance will have subsided and all he will be left with is a rolling of the eyes and a stern shaking of my pointer finger(yes, pointer… not middle :P) at him.
So a couple weeks ago I get an email telling me that he bought a Nintendo Wii System. I had told him that if the Wii every came out with a hockey game then we could buy one…apparently he thought I meant air hockey. Since there was no ice hockey game for me to play he tried to bribe me with the next best thing, a game called Cooking Mama. For those unfamiliar with the Wii(like my mother), it is a video game system that is interactive….when you bowl, you actually have to make the motion like you are bowling or it wont work. Anyway, so in Cooking Mama you have to make dishes(you chop, stir, pour, season…everything cooking involved) and eventually you compete against other chefs, kind of like in an Iron Chef way. Well I suck ass at this game. 🙁 It is rather hard and the only recipe that I do well on is the crème caramel. I have made crème caramel so much in the game now that it got me wanting to make it in real, not virtual, life.
Spending most of my adult life in Arizona, I ate Flan, not crème caramel. They are not the exactly the same but darn close…kind of like the Patty Duke Show(for those of you who are super old like me), they are the identical cousins of the culinary world(though I feel Flan is more eggy). As usual, in order to try and will Fall to show up early, I made a Fall inspired crème caramel….a pear-nutmeg one(by the way, the ju-ju worked….it is 57F right now and raining!). The pear is not actually in the crème part but in the caramel. Instead of water you substitute the nectar or juice…it makes for one yummy caramel. Throw in a splash of my favorite spice, nutmeg, and Fall can’t help but want to come early(or so I hope).
For those of you wondering, the Wii is totally worth it’s cost….and I don’t like video games. It is truly addicting and I play it far more than my husband does! 😛 If my ankle was any better I would probably play it even more. I believe that is called irony?
If you would like another flavor other than pear, just use a nectar/juice of your choice.
Pear-Nutmeg Creme Caramel
Caramel
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup pear nectar/juice
Custard
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp nutmeg(fresh)
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
Directions:
Caramel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the juice and sugar in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Tilt pan to ensure that sugar is dissolved. Do not stir the mixture or the sugar will crystallize. Increase heat to high and cook until sugar turns amber in colour.
Pour liquid caramel into six 3-inch (6 ounce) ramekins, dividing equally and tilting ramekins to cover the bottoms with the caramel.
Custard
Over medium heat, bring milk and cream just to a boil in medium saucepan with salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Remove from heat and cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved.
Stir together eggs and egg yolk in a medium bowl until well blended. Add warm milk and stir. Strain the mixture over a large measuring cup or clean bowl and pour or ladle over caramel-lined ramekins.
Transfer ramekins to a baking pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean when inserted in the centers and the crème caramel jiggles as one, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove ramekins from bath. Let cool to room temperature.
One more picture because it was just so pretty. 🙂
Amy says
We have a Wii too! Never bought the Cooking Mama for the Wii because Steven has it for the handheld Nintendo DS system and I was awful at it. But I love bowling and tennis. 😀 The creme caramel looks so yummy. I would lick that plate clean. 🙂
Meeta says
Oh Pea, you make me laugh! I have been wanting to get the Wii too – but Tom is holding out on that. At the moment nothing I do can make him budge – not even the creme brulee I made recently. Now that you mention this Cooking Mama game I want it even more LOL! Not sure about how your virtual creme caramel looked but the real one certainly is mouth-watering!!
Kirsten says
This made me crack up – re: the emailing at work to avoid wrath, the craziness of video games in general and how you wre initially only good at the creme caramel. 🙂
I can picture you “air-cooking” in your living room and it makes me laugh! (in a friendly way of course!)
Plus, this dessert looks so delicious.
baking soda says
My kids did almost the same (hmm already perfecting their husbandry skills at age 11?) promising me that if they were allowed to buy the Wii with their saved money, they would buy me Cooking Mama!
Well the Wii is there, cooking mama obviously not 🙁 and DH and I have been known to play tennis in the livingroom…. Can you believe I actually felt my muscles after playing virtual tennis?
Pretty pretty creme caramel!
Tanna says
Oh, my goodness NO, pear will be very fine indeed! Thank You!
I must try this game. Too funny that you’re the one on it.
ashley says
I love Cooking Mama, but I’ve only played it on the DS and not the Wii. I tried to make a dish I had played on there once though it didn’t turn out nearly as well as this creme caramel looks!
Janet says
That sounds hilarious!! A cooking video game… although, shouldn’t we be completely offended that they would name a video game “Cooking Mama”…. talk about stereotyping!
Sara says
Scott bought a Wii a couple of weeks ago (after I told him not to) and then tried to pass it off as an early birthday present to me!!!! He rented me Cooking Mama last weekend and I was so bad at it. I had to turn it off because I was yelling at the TV. The game Elebits is soooo fun though, and I suck at video games.
Patricia Scarpin says
I love videogames, Pea – luckily, I have my 14-year-old sister to play with, since João doesn’t like it at all. 🙂
This dessert is just heaven on a plate. The idea of using juice for the caramel is sensational.
Deborah says
This looks so good! I have been thinking about making a flan lately, but maybe I’ll make this instead!
I’ve never tried the Wii before, but I’ve never really been into video games. Maybe I would like this, though!
Jennifer says
Looks delicious! We also have a Wii. I don’t fight these things with my gadget-loving husband. Actually, I was pretty excited about the Wii myself. He has yet to beat me at the laser hockey game!
kellypea says
Picturing you on the Wii chopping? Priceless. And the pear sounds lovely in this recipe. I’m not a fan of flan by any means (not sure why…) but pear certainly can welcome in autumn, which can’t get here fast enough as far as I’m concerned. Oh, and I used to LOVE to play Galaga — screaming and shooting at those little spaceships…Yes. Addicting.
Jenny says
LOL! You are hilarious!
We are likely getting our kids a Wii for Christmas, but I suspect we will play it as much as they do – if only so I can keep ahead of my 8 year old in bowling!
Dessert looks wonderful, btw!
Kevin says
This looks really good! I have never had either flan or creme caramel. I have added both to my to try list. The pear caramel sounds good and I would imagine that you could use any number of different flavoured caramels.
Anita says
My sister has the Wii…it is really fun, I was surprised! I didn’t know about the cooking game though, that’s hilarious!
Lydia says
My husband’s been angling for a Wii, and I hadn’t given in yet — but now, the thought that I could be making Wii caramel, well, I might just be caving….
joey says
My husband has been wanting a Wii for a while now (after an energetic game of Wii tennis at my cousin’s)…hmmm, Cooking Mama huh? Sounds like the scales are starting to tip in his favor 🙂
We have a local version of this which is also flan — called leche flan. Your version with the pear nectar and nutmeg sounds amazing!
Beth G says
We too have the Wii, I haven’t tried this game yet, but will have to check it out! I do like the Wii so far & my husband just got xbox360 which I just don’t understand at all- more time for cookin for me! 🙂
Kelly-Jane says
Fruity creme caramel, I’m sold! It’s so pretty 🙂
I’m really interested to hear your comment on the difference between flan and creme, I’ve only made the latter, and have sometimes wondered…
veron says
I don’t like video games, but I think I will like the Wii especially if there is a cooking video game! I love creme caramel, I think the pear juice is a fantastic idea, can’t wait to try this out!
bea at La tartine gourmande says
Funny technics that your hubbie has indeed! 😉
And if you talk crème caramel, I am coming! One of my favs, by all times! Looks delicious.
Lynn says
Pear in the caramel – oh mama, that sounds good! Video game cooking sounds like it would be really humorous to watch.
Mercedes says
What a funny story about the video game! I would probably be terrible at it also. That is a beautiful creme caramel, mine always want to crack.
blue zebra says
Cracking up about your story! Mine calls me from the cell and gives it to me in advance. 😀
The cooking show sounds like a hoot too! Now for the creme caramel. It looks like heaven. Can’t wait to try it.
Courtney says
I found your site, from a link to your pb & j tart which sounds great!
My husband really really wants a wii. However he doesn’t want to admit it, so he keeps saying “I think my parents would think that is fun, we should get them one”. Which roughly translates too “I want a wii, but I also have a TON of other electonic crap, that I spent waaaay too much money on, and I know the look I will get if I mention it. So if I buy it for my parents I can’t get in trouble, but I can also play it and make you see you want one too”.
You just pushed me one step closer too it.
Can’t wait to see what other yummies you have on here.
Lisa says
OMG I am trying so hard not to laugh out loud while I’m here at work.. picturing you fake chopping, stirring and whatever else is HYSTERICAL! I so want one!!!
(I’m picturing Sara too.. HAHAHAHAHAAAA!)
The flavors of your creme caramel sound delightful.. I’ve never made this.. but I want to badly!
xoxo
Kristen says
I love the Wii…wish we had one. I had no idea about the cooking game though. Very intersting! I bet that would be pretty funny to watch.
This creme caramel has my mouth watering!
sandi @ the whistlestop cafe says
Air cooking could save on calories… Maybe I need to go on the Wii diet.
=D
brilynn says
I’ve never made creme caramel, but those pictures are pretty tempting!
Elle says
Glad the ju-ju worked and you, at least, had coolness. We have been having a heat wave…91 at work on Tuesday. This is such a good idea to use juice or nectar in the caramel. Lovely, lovely photos, too.
chris says
This looks stunning! I could eat this any day!
A friend bought a wii and they love it…she said her hubby’s a bit addicted…:)
kristie says
I love Cooking Mama! It’s so much fun to play 🙂
Ngoc says
Just made this tonight – loved it! I could drink the pear caramel all day. 🙂
Kiwi says
Alright so I’m a bit late on this, as I am reading through all of your past posts to be completely caught up, but we have a Wii and bought Cooking Mama for my mom, who also loves to cook. Well, see, she has arthritis and the motions of the game are so fast and intense that it literally hurts her to play. So much for that gift. And I try, but it really is difficult and such a pain I too end up yelling at the TV as others have admitted to.
Also, hockey game would be awesome. I really wanna slap shot virtually kinda like a game at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
And the muffins look AMAZING! Furthers my want to make some muffins!
Kiwi says
Yeah, problem with looking at all past posts, just checked out a muffin one and thought I was still on it. Also a problem with being sick. But still, your Dried Blueberry White Chocolate Lemon Muffins from August 31st look amazing!
I’m just gonna go crawl in bed and hide now, excuse me.