Custard

Caramel

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

6 ramekins (4- to 5- ounces)

Crushed amaretti cookies

Making the caramel sauce

Put the sugar in the saucepan and stir in about 3 tablespoons of water, just enough to moisten all the grains. Make sure there are absolutely NO sugar crystals around the edges up along the pan. You can use a wet pastry brush to get them down. Set over high heat and, without stirring or shaking the pan, allow the sugar to melt into syrup and cook at a rapid boil.

After several minutes (6 to 8) the syrup will start to color. You have to watch this nonstop--don't try to multitask! As it starts to color, GENTLY swirl the syrup so it colors evenly. As soon as it is a darkish caramel/amber color, pour about 1/4 cup of the syrup into each ramekin. Do not try to measure this. Just eyeball it. The hot sugar WILL burn you if you touch it. Swirl the ramekins so the caramel covers the entire bottom. It hardens pretty fast.

If you have leftover caramel in the pot, you can make a lovely caramel sauce for drizzling over accompanying pears by CAREFULLY pouring 4 to 5 tablespoons of cold water into the pan. Put the saucepan back on high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for about a 1/2 minute, swirling the pan to dissolve all the caramel and incorporate the water. Pour the sauce into a heatproof bowl or cup and allow it to cool. You can also add a few drops of cognac to this for a little kick.

Making the custard

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk, cream, cinnamon, espresso beans and cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until steam appears and/or an instant-read thermometer held in the liquid registers 160 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat.

Meanwhile, gently whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar in large bowl until just combined. Off heat, gently whisk warm milk mixture, salt, and vanilla into eggs until just combined but not at all foamy. Strain mixture through fine mesh sieve into large measuring cup or container with pouring spout; set aside.

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in kettle. Meanwhile, fold dish towel to fit bottom of large baking dish or roasting pan and position in pan. Divide reserved custard mixture among ramekins; place filled ramekins on towel in pan (making sure they do not touch) and set pan on oven rack. Fill pan with boiling water to reach halfway up ramekins; cover entire pan loosely with aluminum foil so steam can escape. Bake until a paring knife inserted halfway between center and edge of the custards comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer custards to wire rack; cool to room temperature (Can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days.)

To unmold, slide a paring knife around entire mold perimeter, pressing knife against side of the dish. Hold serving plate over top of ramekin and invert; set plate on work surface and shake ramekin gently to release custard. The liquid caramel should dribble along the edges. Sprinkle crushed cookies around the base of the bonet. Serve immediately.