Kawaii Kitchen: How to Make Japanese Cat-Shaped Pudding

Put on your baker's hat and get ready to dive into the world of whimsical Japanese desserts with our fun and delightful Cat, Bear & Flower-Shaped Caramel Purin! This charming twist on the traditional Japanese caramel pudding, or "purin," allows you to make custard puddings in the shapes of cute cats, bears, and beautiful flowers.

Ingredients
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Makes 6 puddings in Cotta Cat / Bear / Flower Shaped Aluminum Ramekins

For the Caramel:
‧ Fine granulated sugar: 25g
‧ Water: 4g
‧ Boiling water: 7g

For the Pudding:
‧ Whole eggs: 2 (approximately 110g)
‧ Fine granulated sugar: 50g
‧ Milk: 240g
‧ Heavy cream: 60g

Required Tools:
‧ Mixing Bowl
‧ Silver Whisk
‧ Milk Pan
‧ Tea Strainer
‧ Cotta Cat Shaped Aluminum Ramekins 
‧ Cotta Bear Shaped Aluminum Ramekins
‧ Cotta Flower Shaped Aluminum Ramekins

Steps to make it
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For the Caramel:

01 Begin by adding the fine granulated sugar and 4g of water into a pan, then put it over medium heat.
02 You'll see the sugar start to caramelise and darken. Once it has reached a lovely caramel color, turn off the heat - it will continue to darken slightly with the residual heat.
03 Next, carefully add the 7g of hot water. Use aluminum foil to cover the pot, leaving a tiny gap to add the water safely and avoid any splashes.
04 Immediately, while the caramel is still hot, pour it into your buttered pudding cups - you'll have a cat cup, a bear cup, and a flower cup all ready to go.

For the Pudding:

05 In your mixing bowl, mix together the 50g of sugar and two eggs (totaling about 110g). A little tip - room temperature eggs work best for this.
06 Now, warm up your 240g of milk and 60g of cream, along with vanilla beans if you're using them. You're aiming for warm - not hot.
07 Pour this milk and cream mixture into the bowl with your sugar and eggs. Use your Silver Whisk No.9 to mix it gently and thoroughly, but be careful not to create too much foam.
08 Strain this mixture through your tea strainer - this will remove any bubbles and ensure your pudding has a beautifully smooth texture.

Baking Your Purin:

09 Set your filled pudding cups in a baking dish. Fill the dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cups. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius, then lower the temperature to 150 degrees and place the pudding in for 25-28 minutes. Keep in mind that every oven is a little different, so you might need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
10 To check if your pudding is done, give it a little shake. If it wobbles evenly, it's all set. If not, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
11 Once your purin has cooled, take a moist spoon and gently press it around the inside edge of each cup.
12 Now, for the grand reveal! Flip each cup onto a plate and give it a quick spin - with a little luck, your pudding will slide right out. If it's feeling shy, don't worry - just give it a few more spins.
13 And there you have it - delightfully smooth caramel pudding in adorable shapes!
14 For an extra touch of indulgence, we recommend serving your Animal & Flower-Shaped Caramel Purin à la mode.

Enjoy this treat as a delightful end to any meal, or just because. Happy baking and enjoy your dessert! 

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‧ How to make Cute Cat Doughnuts - Japanese Kawaii Donut Recipe
‧ How to make cat shaped cake
‧ Homemade Cat Shaped Bread Recipe