Making caramel pudding can be effortless if you follow these easy steps:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare Caramel: In a saucepan, melt 1 cup of sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until it turns golden brown. Immediately pour the caramel into a round baking dish, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to cool.
3. Heat Milk: In another saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it’s warm but not boiling.
4. Whisk Eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ½ cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
5. Combine Milk and Eggs: Gradually whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture until smooth.
6. Strain Mixture: Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into the caramel-coated baking dish to remove any lumps.
7. Prepare for Baking: Place the baking dish into a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
8. Bake: Carefully place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pudding is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
9. Cool: Remove from the oven and let it cool in the water bath for about 15 minutes. Then, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully set.
10. Serve: To serve, run a knife around the edges of the pudding. Invert it onto a serving platter to reveal the glossy caramel top.

These steps will guide you in creating this incredible caramel pudding effortlessly.