Fru pastor Meldgaards karamelrand (Caramel Milk Mould)
Print Recipe
A traditional Danish set dessert made from caramelised sugar and milk, set with gelatine and served with whipped cream. Mild, creamy and gently caramel-flavoured, this is a classic mid-20th-century pudding.
Course
Dessert
Cuisine 
Ingredients
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1 litre whole milk
- 10 gelatine leaves
- 250 ml whipping cream for serving
Instructions
- Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes until softened.
- Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently over a medium heat. Allow it to melt without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns a deep golden brown.
- Carefully pour in the milk (it will bubble up vigorously). Bring it to the boil and stir until the caramel has completely dissolved into the milk.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly. Squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and stir them into the hot caramel milk until fully dissolved.
- Optionally, pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any undissolved caramel bits.
- Pour into a 1-litre pudding basin or fluted mould. Allow to cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
- Dip the mould briefly in warm water, run a knife around the edge if needed, and turn out onto a serving plate.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks. Serve it in the middle of the caramel milk mould.
Notes
Pastor Meldgaard was parish priest in Odder from 1923 to 1954 (and died in 1962).
Otto was his curate from around 1940 until he succeeded him as parish priest.
Mrs Meldgaard was his wife; they lived separately and were said to have divided the vicarage between them. She remained, however, deeply loyal, so when Pastor Meldgaard and Otto fell out (apparently because Otto had undertaken to pass on a minor complaint from the parish council), she also stopped speaking to Idith. This recipe must therefore date from before their quarrel.