Baked coffee custard

I recently made this as a thank-you for bunchberry, who'd been tremendous help during a very intense project, and, um, bunchberry approved ENTHUSIASTICALLY.  (I liked it, too!)

I've also made a version that mixes this with my main baked chocolate custard recipe, again, adding decaf instant coffee to the cream while heating. 

I made a half-recipe, using the same basic recipe as for all my baked custards (click here); you can easily double it, and use a single baking dish or ramekins.


Ingredients:

• 300 ml single cream
• instant decaffeinated coffee (or caffeinated!) Please note, good instant coffee makes a BIG difference...
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup demerara sugar

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 170/175 C.   Put a kettle of water to boil. 
• Place 300 ml cream in a small saucepan; add instant coffee in the amount the label specifies for this amount of liquid. 
• Heat the cream and coffee mixture over low heat until just steaming. Stir as needed.
• While the cream-coffee mixture is heating, beat 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean) together until fluffy.  
• When the cream-coffee mixture starts to steam, pour it gradually into the eggs and vanilla mixture, whisking.  When done, whisk well so that the eggs, vanilla, and cream are well-incorporated.  
• Add 1/4 cup demerara sugar and mix well.  
• Pour mixture into a small (app. half litre) glass baking dish and place in larger baking dish. 
• Boil kettle again; pour boiling water into the outer dish to within an inch of the top of the custard.  
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, until just set (slightly wobbly in the middle). 

Enjoy!