Eggless Caramel cheese cake

I would like to call it the '4 C' cheese cake/pudding. It's simple, no oven needed with few ingredients and super yumm !!! Give it a try if you like caramel puddings.

You can see the texture of this dessert in the above visual. It was difficult for me to really give it a name as it's like a concoction between a pudding and a cheese cake. Not jiggly, like a pudding and not dry like a cheese cake. Perfect balance between the two and the best part is, you can alter the texture to suit your palate.

I have been recently looking at vegetarian dessert recipes and this one tops my list. My girls like caramel pudding and I used to get foster clarks ready to make packs which tasted like thick custard pudding with caramel sauce on it. I even tried my hand with some recipes online but they were either too eggy or too technical with eggyoke etc. I am a home cook and i believe most of us want our process of cooking to be simple, less time consuming, enjoyable with simple ingredients, and yes, definitely liked by family.

While watching several eggless caramel pudding videos and several test and trial methods, I am sharing my own proportions and version for this caramel dessert.

So these are the things you will need ---

(you can choose brands which you prefer and is locally available)

INGREDIENTS : (measure 1 cup = 250 ml in US )

Portion size: Serves 4, Cooking time: 45 mins, Vegetarian, Course: Dessert

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· Cream - 1/2 cup

· Condensed milk - 1/2 cup

· Curd (full fat preferably) - 1/2 cup

· Milk (full fat preferably) - 1/2 cup

· Custard powder - 3 table spoon

· Brown Sugar (granulated or packed) - 1/4 cup

(Regular white sugar can also be used)

· Vanilla essence - 1 table spoon

METHOD:

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· Heat a small non stick pan on stove/burner and add the sugar in it. Do not stir immediately. When you see the sugar melt on the sides, reduce the flame so that it does not burn. Then saute it gradually so that it all melts evenly.

· Once the sugar is caramelized put it in a glass bowl (about 1/2 litres) capacity.

· Swirl the bowl so that the base of the bowl gets coated with caramel.Leave it aside to cool. (Pls note: Do not use a spoon, spatula or knife to spread as it sticks on it and becomes messy and sticky.)

· Take a separate large bowl or pan. Place a metal stand inside it and add about 1/4 level of water / enough that the metal stand is immersed completely, cover it and let the water boil.

· Meanwhile in a seperal bowl take the 4 C's (cream, curd, condense milk, custard powder) add milk and vanilla essence to it and with a hand whisk mix it till it becomes smooth.

· Add this mixture to the glass bowl with the caramel base which would have cooled by now. You will hear the crackling of the caramel as you pour the mixture to it ( I really like that sound ! )

· Water would have boiled by now, reduce the flame and gently place the glass bowl with the 4C mixture on the stand immersed with water. You can wear baking goves if you like while placing the bowl so that you don't burn your hand with the steam.

· Cover the glass bowl completely. This is important or else the water droplets will ruin the dessert. Then, cover the pan with the lid so that the cheese cake gets baked in the steam.

· Leave it for 40 mins. You can open the lid after 35 - 40 mins to check. If the cheese cake is too jiggly leave it for 5-10 mins more.

· Once done do not remove from the pan immediately. Leave it to cool for about 1/2 hr or so , keep it outside to completely cool before putting it in fridge.

· Leave it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours as it tastes best when its nice and cold. (Please do not put in freezer!)

· Before serving take a butter knife and slide it around so that the cheese cake comes out easily. Place a plate on top of it, reverse the bowl, gently tap at the bottom of the bowl for the cheese cake to come out and voila it is ready !!!!!

Additional serving note: If you like you can top it up with caramelized or non caramelized popcorn/ walnuts/ banana for that additional punch!

If you like the recipe and happen to try it out, do let me know. Would love to hear from you !

Till then stay safe and happy cooking:)