Lemon Caramel Pots de Crème

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Position rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Have ready 6 ½-cup ramekins or pots-de-crème cups and a baking pan large enough to hold them.

2. Step 2

   In a saucepan, bring the cream, zest and coriander seeds just to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes.

3. Step 3

   In a heavy saucepan, heat the sugar and a ¼ cup water over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the mixture becomes deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan. Carefully whisk in the cream combination. (The mixture will sputter, so be careful.) Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Remove pan from heat.

4. Step 4

   Gently whisk together yolks, lemon juice and salt. Very slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth. Let stand about 3 minutes, then spoon off any foam.

5. Step 5

   Divide custard among the ramekins, cover with foil (or put lids on the cups) and place them in the baking pan. Add enough hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set around edges but trembling in the centers, 40 to 45 minutes for ramekins, 30 to 35 minutes for the cups.

6. Step 6

   Remove from the oven and remove ramekins from pan. Let cool and refrigerate, loosely covered, at least 3 hours and up to 24. Serve without unmolding.