French Creme Brulee Recipe
French Crème Brûlée Recipe
Ok, Creme Brulee isn't really Italian like Pana Cotta but it is in the same family. French Crème Brûlée is a classic which you will find often in fine dining and mid-scale restaurants. You will see many versions of Creme Brulee out there featuring inclusions or additional ingredients to the base like, coffee, lemon, hazelnut and so on.
This recipe celebrates the baked silky, creamy, vanilla custard with a cracked caramelized sugar top! The classic!
Extremely popular when I was at Steven restaurant in Scottsdale as well as Chicago's Pump Room. Heck...in every restaurant I worked in!
I suggest purchasing a brulee torch or a brulee iron to caramelize the sugar.
I also feel it is important to burn the sugar before you serve.
French Creme Brulee (Recipe)
yield 1 qt
Portion Size 6 fl oz
Ingredients
3 1/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
6 1/2 oz Egg yolks
6 1/2 oz granulated sugar
1/4 fl oz Pure Madagascar bourbon vanilla or 1 large vanilla bean
Sugar in the Raw
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 275°F
Pour the heavy cream into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cream, then throw in the pod as well.
Bring up to a boil and then cut of the heat, cover and let the vanilla infuse into the cream for ten minutes.
Beat the sugar and all the eggs together in a large heat-proof bowl until pale and creamy.
Bring the vanilla infused cream back to boiling point, then pour over the egg mixture, whisking all the time until thickened - this indicates that the eggs have begun to cook slightly (you should have a smooth custard the consistency of double cream - a grainy texture means it's been over-cooked and you'll have to start all over again).
Strain through a fine sieve into a large jug, then use this to fill 6 ramekins about two thirds full.
Place the ramekins in a large roasting tray and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up their sides.
Place on the center shelf and bake for 40 minutes to one hour, or until the custards are just set and still a bit wobbly in the middle.
Remove from the water and allow to cool to room temperature.
When you're ready to serve, evenly sprinkle one level teaspoon of " Sugar in the Raw" over the surface of each Crème, then caramelize with a blowtorch.
Serve with Raspberry or Strawberry Coulis on thee side if you like.