Simple No-Bake Creme Caramel recipe that’s silky, creamy, and rich in flavors. Try this easy and popular Japanese dessert also called Purin and enjoy it with friends!
Growing up in Japan, three O’clock meant Oyatsu no Jikan, which means “time for snack” in Japanese. I ran home every day after school and looked forward to the day’s oyatsu (snack) that my mom prepared.
Once in a while, she would surprise my brother and me with our favorite No Bake Creme Caramel (Purinプリン). It’s a popular chilled dessert in Japan and I’m excited to share this easy homemade recipe with you.
Watch How To Make No-Bake Creme Caramel – Japanese “Purin”
What is Japanese Purin?
It is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top. As it’s enjoyed throughout the world, you may call this dessert custard pudding, crème caramel, caramel custard, flan or a different name in your language.
Normally the custard, the mixture of sugar, eggs, and milk (and sometimes heavy cream), is baked in the oven in a bain-marie [ban mah-REE] (hot water bath) before being chilled.
In Japan, we have 3 types:
- Yaki Purin (焼きプリン) – custard cooked in the oven.
- Mushi Purn (蒸しプリン) – custard is cooked on a stovetop in a steamer, or in a bain-marie in a pot or frying pan. Here’s my recipe.
- Purin (プリン) – custard is hardened with gelatin. *Please note that people also call “Purin” even though it’s baked or steamed.
I also want to mention that Japanese Purin is sometimes called “custard pudding” (カスタードプリン) in Japan, especially when emphasizing the custard component and comparing with other types below:
Purin – No-Bake Creme Caramel
Japanese “Purin” available at supermarkets and convenience stores in Japan is all made with gelatin. They are not baked or steamed. If you’re a big fan of those packaged Japanese custard pudding like Pucchin Purin (プッチンプリン), today’s recipe is for you!
The main difference from the classic Crème Caramel (Custard Pudding or Flan) is the texture. The texture of Purin made with gelatin is similar to gelatin desserts like panna cotta, or French dessert Bavarian Cream, or Bavaria (ババロア) (I hope the comparison helps). It’s silky smooth and slightly firm, with a gentle wobble.
The best part about custard pudding made with gelatin is that you can enjoy the silky panna cotta texture with rich custard flavors, just like the regular Crème Caramel.
This delicious dessert is a simple recipe, but it requires some techniques for the following important steps in the recipe.
- The caramel sauce has to have the right consistency so that when you invert the ramekin, the caramel sauce pours down nicely over the Purin.
- Gelatin has to be bloomed correctly so that the texture of Purin comes out perfectly.
- Custard mixture needs to be cooked to the correct temperature before being chilled.
I apologize for my lengthy recipe but I hope my tips are helpful. Please read the entire recipe at least once before trying making the recipe.
This post was originally shared in 2011 and it was my guest post shared on my friend Jill’s blog Mad About Macarons’ Egg Yolk Recipes series. Jill makes amazing macarons and she published her macaron cookbooks (Mad about Macarons! and Teatime in Paris!).
With the leftover egg whites from this recipe, you can make Jill’s macarons! I hope you enjoy making this No-Bake Creme Caramel recipe.
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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- 140 g sugar (⅔ cup)
- 2 Tbsp water (30 ml)
- 2 Tbsp boiling water (30 ml)
- 10 g gelatin powder/sheet (.35 oz = 4 sheets = 1 Tbsp)
- ¼ cup water (60 ml)
- 4 large egg yolks (See Notes for egg white recipes)
- 80 g sugar (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp)
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk (400 ml) (Divided)
- ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream (120 ml)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
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Gather all the ingredients. You will also need 8 4-oz ramekins (4 oz is ½ cup or 120 ml).
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Prepare boiling water (you will only need 2 Tbsp) and a cold damp towel (for Step 4).
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Gently shake the saucepan to evenly distribute sugar and do not touch until the mixture starts to turn golden brown. Gently swirl and tilt the pan again to distribute the mixture to have even color until it becomes amber color (like darker honey color), about 6 minutes.
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Immediately remove from heat to a cold damp towel and add 2 Tbsp boiling water. It will create a huge splash so please be careful. You can shield with a lid or wear oven mitts to protect your hands. Stir the saucepan to mix together. This will slightly thin out the caramel sauce and ensure that it doesn’t become too thick in the ramekins.
- Briefly dip the ramekins in hot water to warm up. This will prevent the caramel from solidifying (just shake off excess water and no need to dry).
- While caramel is still hot, evenly distribute the caramel among the 8 ramekins. Set aside and let the caramel thicken naturally (which is why the caramel will not mix with the custard mixture later).
- In a small bowl, cut 4 gelatin sheets into thin ½ inch (1.3 cm) strips. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water and set aside for 5-6 minutes until the gelatin “blooms” (expands).
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If you’re using powder gelatin, combine 3 tsp (10 g) gelatin powder and ¼ cup (60 ml) water and let stand for 1 minute. Then microwave on high for 30-40 seconds and stir. It’s ready to use.
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Once gelatin sheets are bloomed, bring 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to simmer and place the bowl of gelatin mixture over the saucepan (double boiler). Make sure to use a heat resistant bowl which is larger than the opening of the saucepan. Steam will immediately warm up the glass bowl and start dissolving the gelatin. Turn off the heat and set aside. If somehow you end up taking a long time to do the following process and the gelatin has set into a solid, you will need to melt it back into a liquid with a double boiler again.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 200 ml (roughly 1 cup) milk (keep the rest for later) over medium heat until the milk is warm to the touch.
- Slowly add the warm milk, whisking constantly (tempering the egg mixture).
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Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly (keep an eye on the pot ALL THE TIME; otherwise the mixture will burn on the bottom), until the mixture coats a spoon with a thin film or small bubbles start to form at edges of the pan, or reaches 160 ºF (71 ºC).
- Add in the gelatin mixture and mix well. Remove from the heat.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
- Add the rest of the milk (200 ml), heavy whipping cream, and vanilla and whisk all together. We’re adding them at the end to help the mixture cool down.
- Divide the custard into the 8 ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 3 days. The caramel on the bottom will become thinner after the moisture from the custard transfers to the caramel.
- To serve, run a small sharp knife or toothpick around the edge of each ramekin to loosen the custard. Quickly invert each custard onto a plate. If it doesn’t release right away, gently shake the ramekin a few times to help it out.
Gelatin Powder/Sheets: 1 pouch of Knox gelatin powder is 7 grams, about 2 ½ Tbsps. You can make it with one pouch. I buy these gelatin sheets.
Egg Whites Recipes: Click here.
Equipment you will need:
- 8 4-oz ramekins (4 oz = 1/2 cup = 120 ml)
- Double boiler
- Fine mesh strainer
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Editor’s Note: The original post was shared on June 10, 2011. The post is updated with new content, images, and video in September 2016.
Could you use agar instead of gelatin? By the way, this is my favorite place for incredible recipes! Thank you.
Hi Brenda! I’ve never used agar to make purin. Let me know if you tried and worked well. Maybe others may be interested in using agar than gelatin. Thank you so much for following my blog! 🙂
I tried using agar (powder form) for making custard. Take note that agar/carrageenan is stronger than gelatin and sets at room temperature so if the room is cold, try to work a bit quick. As for proportions, 1 teaspoon will gel up a cup of liquid, but if you want it less firm you can dial down. Hope this helps 🙂
Thank you for sharing your tip! I agree, I had a hard time trying to get the right jiggly consistency for my vegan matcha panna cotta with agar. 🙂
Hi Nami,
May I know what size ramekins did you use? Hoping to make this soon. Thanks!
Hi Siewleng! So sorry for my late response. I’ve been a bit busy… Okay, I just went downstairs and measure it. It’s 4 oz (1/2 cup, about 120 ml). 🙂
Hi Nami,
Interesting recipe. It looks like our “crème caramel” which is cooked.
I shall try yours…quickly done but the taste ???
In fact it’s a form of “crème anglaise” with gelatin…
About gelatin…how many gr for one sheet please ?
All the best
JPierre
Hi JPierre! We make the Japanese pudding in the oven (in a bain-marie) too. But this one is totally no bake. The taste is pretty much the same, but the texture is a bit different. It’s silky and jiggly, that tastes like creme caramel. 😀
For this brand, each sheet is 2.5 gram. 🙂
Many thanks.
I shall try your recipe soon.
JP
Hi!
Do you have a recipe for Bavarois (ババロア) by any chance? My mother is from Japan and used to make it all the time but she is older now and can’t find her recipe. Was wondering if you possibly had a recipe you liked. Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi Eileen! Natsukashii! I used to eat ババロア too! I’ll add to my list. 🙂
Nami..I’m a big fan of ur blog.. I’ve made this pudding 3 times already, but instead of using ramekins like yours, I used tea cups.
Very delicious recipe, my daughter loves it so much. The only problem is, I always have about 1/4 part of the total caramel in the cup stick to the bottom of the cups, I tried my best to follow ur direction. What do u think went wrong? Thank you.
Hi Wei Lee! Thank you for following my blog! How cute to make pudding in tea cups. 🙂
May I ask a question? Do you mean some of caramel is left/stucked at the bottom of your tea cups after eating the pudding? The moisture from the pudding mixture (before solidifying) transfer to caramel and is supposed to make the caramel loosen while solidifying. Try adding a bit more hot water after caramel reaches the right color. This should help. 🙂
Most of the caramel is liquid and we can enjoy it with the pudding, but there were always some solidified caramel at the bottom. i had to heat it in he microwave to liquidify it and wash the cup.
i’ll try to add more hot water next time. Thank you for ur help.
Haha, I would be licking it too. xD Hope that tip will help… 🙂
Today i feel like i have to comment some recipes that i’ve tried. Well i am too excited so i always forgot to take a pictures. And it because not that good looking so i decided not to take a pictures. But i’ll try more and snap it to my instagram.
The first time i make creme caramel i failed. And when i found your recipe and i try it, it works. Not as good looking as yours but it taste so good!!! This is my everytime favorite dessert where ever i go to japanese restaurant. I always order this for my dessert!! ????????????
Hi Ajeng! I’m so happy to hear you tried this recipe and yours came out successfully! It’s the best feeling to be able to make and enjoy your favorite food right in your own home! Thanks for trusting this recipe and making it. Don’t worry about taking a picture – I enjoy listening to your success story more! 🙂 Thanks for your kind feedback.
How do i make that with the Chocolate sauce or chocolate something on top… like one from Giga Pudding (Remember that pudding making kit from takara tomy?) or one from the other brands?
Hi William! I actually never tried Giga Pudding before… is it like melted chocolate? Maybe melt the chocolate and milk together over double boiler? I think it has to be thin, so you will need milk or heavy cream to make the right consistency.
Hi Nami
I made this pudding sometime ago and it was a hit amongst my family. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
However, personally I found the milky taste too strong in the pudding as I am not a big fan of dairy products. What can I replace the milk or heavy whipping cream with in step 10?
Hi Connie! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m glad your family enjoyed it! You can use soymilk or almondmilk too. 🙂
I love creme caramel, and have always baked it, previously. This method works so well, the flan is perfect, and even more delicious than my former go-to recipe. The only thing I had a problem with was the caramel sauce … it just would not brown. After I got to a light beige, at 20+ minutes, I gave up, and poured it into my ramekins. No idea what I did wrong. Everything was fine, except for the lack of contrast between the sauce and the flan. Tasted great though, and I had no complaints! Next time, I’m hoping to do better with the sauce.
Hi Chris! Thank you for trying this recipe! We love a slightly bitter, dark caramel for mine too, so I go a bit darker than amber color. When it looks like it’s done, I go an extra few more seconds before I add hot water. It will dilute the caramel anyway. Try waiting a few more seconds. And don’t agitate the mixture too often. 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
I’m having a hard time with the caramel. Instead of darkening, the water disappears and I’m left with a sugar crusted pan. I’ve tried using a lower heat to see, but what’s the best advice you can give me?
Hi Lydia! When I made caramel for the first time, that happened to me. You should not agitate the liquid. You only need to swirl a few times in the begging and do not touch. When the liquid touches the side of the pan, it becomes crystallized and you lose the caramel. Also, you spend too long that water evaporated. So use higher heat than what you used (probably around medium heat) and don’t touch. Hope this helps!
Can I make this in one large bowl rather than separate ramekins? I dont hae eight ramekins on hand.
Hi Meenakshi! I haven’t done it as this dessert is typically served individually, but I supposed so. Please adjust the cooking time. 🙂
I was wondering its my first time making purin and was wondering if you had any tips?
Hi Kaede! I’d say… read the recipe carefully first before you start and prepare all the ingredients and equipment. If you are not sure about the step, let me know! 🙂
Amazing thanks. Really impressive dessert without too much fuss
Hi Glenn! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! 🙂
Thanks for your lovely recipe, Nami! I have finally found a recipe that can recreate the tender and wobbly texture! I have tried other recipes without the gelatine before. They were tasty, but weren’t the texture that I was expecting. Also, thanks for your detailed and thoughtful tips! They are very helpful.
Just one question: my caramel tends to stick to the bottom of my ramekin. Have I done something wrong?
Hi Karen! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I’m really happy to hear you liked this texture – it’s just like Japanese purin right?
Do you dunk the purin cup in hot water before you add the caramel? The moisture from the purin also goes to the caramel to loosen up while you are chilling too. 🙂
Where did you find your steel ramekins?
I’ve made this twice now, and it is definitely a new family favorite! The puddings are so cute, well-portioned (they’re small but rich and satisfying; you probably won’t need seconds!), flavorful of vanilla, warm milk, cream, and caramel, and the texture is perfectly delightful. The recipe is a little more challenging than I’m used to since I normally stick with easy recipes, but if you are prepared with the ingredients and follow the recipe carefully, you’ll do fine.
In case anyone is curious, each pudding contains about 200 calories.
If you don’t have ramekins or similar things, what can you do?