A Peruvian caramel custard with a glossy top and silky center. Chilled, gently wobbly, and richly milky, it unmolds under its own caramel sauce with the kind of simplicity that explains why it remains such a beloved family dessert in Peru.
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Place the sugar in a completely dry saucepan and heat over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, allowing it to melt from the edges and gently swirling the pan only when needed. Remove it as soon as the caramel is deep amber and still smells sweet rather than burnt. Immediately pour it into the mold and carefully tilt the mold to coat the entire base.
Break up the eggs and mix them with the yolks using a whisk, only until combined and without whipping in foam. Add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt, stirring gently until even. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the caramel-lined mold; if large bubbles remain on the surface, remove them with a spoon.
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Set the mold inside a deep baking tray and pour the hot water around it until it reaches roughly halfway up the sides of the mold. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the edges are set and the center retains a short, even wobble, like soft gelatin; do not wait for it to become rigid in the oven, or the custard will turn porous and dry.
Carefully remove the mold from the water bath and let it cool for 30 minutes, until it is no longer giving off strong heat. Refrigerate for 4 hours, until the custard is fully chilled and firm when the mold is moved; this chilling matters because it finishes stabilizing the structure so the dessert can be turned out whole.
Run a paring knife around the entire edge without cutting toward the center. Place a wide serving plate over the mold, hold both firmly, and flip them in one confident motion; wait 20 to 30 seconds before lifting the mold so the caramel can finish flowing down. And that's it! If the custard is smooth, gently wobbles when the plate moves, and caramel runs down the sides, it came out exactly right 😌
