Cuisine:

Croatian

Every country claims crème caramel as its own, but for me, there is only one original Dubrovacka rožada and it’s made in Dubrovnik. I still recall my aunt Mare’s rožada. Somehow, every time we visited, she had a slice of this delicious dessert waiting for me. Now, every time I make it, I remember teta Mare and her perfect rožada. You will need 8 dariole moulds for this recipe.

Ingredients

275 g (1¼ cups) caster sugar
6 eggs
1 litre milk, warmed
2 lemons, zested
2 tbsp maraschino liqueur
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

To make caramel, place 110 g sugar and 60 ml water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until mixture turns dark golden (or reaches 175°C on a sugar thermometer).

Remove from heat and immediately divide among 8 greased 200 ml dariole moulds; the caramel should reach 3 mm up the side of the mould. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 140°C. Whisk together eggs and remaining 165 g sugar in a large bowl until just combined. Add milk, lemon zest, liqueur and vanilla, and stir to combine. Divide the custard mixture among each mould, pouring over the back of a spoon to prevent air bubbles.

Place a tea towel in the base of a roasting pan and place moulds on top. Fill pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the moulds, and bake for 40 minutes or until centre is just set; the custard should wobble slightly when lightly shaken.

Remove moulds from the pan and set aside for 10 minutes. Transfer to a tray and set aside until room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold. Carefully run a small knife around the inside of each mould, then turn out onto a plate.

DRINK NV Chambers Muscadelle ‘Old Vine’, Rutherglen, Victori

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 13, pg96.

Photography by Derek Swalwell