Crème de la Maple Crème

Crème caramel:
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup maple syrup
4 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
2 (14 oz) cans condensed milk
1 cup maple pecans

Heat the oven to 300º. Put sugar and water in heavy-bottomed pot. Cook on medium-high to a golden brown. Pour caramel into 10 (4 oz) ramekins, swirling so caramel coats the bottom of each ramekin. Allow caramel to set. Combine maple syrup, eggs and vanilla extract in blender. Pour the evaporated and condensed milk into large bowl. Whisk in maple syrup mixture. Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Place ramekins in baking pan filled halfway up the sides with water. Cover the pan and ramekins with foil and bake until custards are just set, about 1hr to 1hr 15mins.

Make maple pecans while ramekins are in oven:
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons maple sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Transfer warm toasted pecans to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to make sure pecans are completely coated with oil. Sprinkle in salt and maple sugar and toss again. Drizzle maple syrup into bowl and toss well. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Remove pan from oven and ramekins from water bath. Allow custards to cool, then chill them, covered, in refrigerator. To serve, invert to unmold custards, letting the caramel spill out over the top. Crush some maple pecans and scatter them, along with some whole pecans, over and around each Crème caramel.