My Sunday school class went out to dinner together last night. It is Restaurant Week in Dallas, and you can dine at fancy restaurants with a limited menu for a lower cost. Our class has eaten out during Restaurant Week for the last five years. Last night 37 of us ate at a restaurant in Addison called Arthur’s where the offerings included champagne brie soup, Norwegian salmon stuffed with crab, filet of sole with a caper sauce, filet mignon, potato daquoise, sauteed asparagus and, of course, dessert. Our choices were chocolate mousse and crème brûlée. It is pronounced “krem broolay.” I chose the crème brûlée seen in the photo above. I don’t have it often, but when I do, my mood for the end of the meal is one of anxious anticipation. It is a smooth, silky cream custard baked with a thin, carmelized sugar crust on top. The contrast of pillowy soft custard and sweet and crunchy sugar is almost too much for my less-than-discerning palate to bear. It is divine. I can imagine eating it every day in heaven. The best crème brûlée I have ever eaten was at the Brown Derby restaurant in Disney World. It was key lime crème brûlée. The addition of citrus was a perfect twist on the traditional flavor of this delectable dessert. Let’s learn more about crème brûlée.
Crème brûlée — also known as burned cream, burnt cream or Trinity cream and virtually identical to crema catalana — is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar. It is normally served slightly chilled; the heat from the caramelizing process tends to warm the top of the custard, while leaving the center cool. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla in French cuisine, but can have other flavorings. It is sometimes garnished with fruit.
History
The earliest known recipe of a dessert called crème brûlée appears in François Massialot's 1691 cookbook “Cuisinier royal et bourgeois.” The question of its origin has inspired debate within the contemporary gastronomical community, with some authors suggesting that crema catalana — with origins that date to the 14th century — may have inspired chefs throughout Europe.
Some authors mention Bartolomeo Stefani's “Latte alla Spagnuola” in 1662 as describing crema catalana, but it calls for browning the top of the custard before serving with sugar on top.
The name "burnt cream" was later used to refer to the dish in the 1702 English translation of Massialot's “Cuisinier royal et bourgeois.” In 1740, he referred to a similar recipe as “crême à l'Angloise” or “English cream,” which further cast doubt on its origins. The dessert was introduced at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1879 as "Trinity Cream" or "Cambridge burnt cream," with the college arms "impressed on top of the cream with a branding iron." No dessert by the name crème brûlée appeared again in French cookbooks until the 1980s.
Crème brûlée was generally uncommon in both French and English cookbooks of the 19th and 20th centuries. It became extremely popular in the 1980s, "a symbol of that decade's self-indulgence and the darling of the restaurant boom," probably popularized by Sirio Maccioni at his New York restaurant Le Cirque. He claimed to have made it "the most famous and by far the most popular dessert in restaurants from Paris to Peoria."
Technique
Crème brûlée is usually served in individual ramekins. Discs of caramel may be prepared separately and put on top just before serving, or the caramel may be formed directly on top of the custard immediately before serving. To do this, sugar is sprinkled onto the custard, then caramelized under a red-hot salamander — a cast iron disk with a long wooden handle or with a butane torch.
There are two methods for making the custard. The more common creates a "hot" custard by whisking egg yolks in a double boiler with sugar and incorporating the cream, adding vanilla once the custard is removed from the heat. Alternatively, the egg yolk/sugar mixture can be tempered with hot cream, then adding vanilla at the end. In the "cold" method, the egg yolks and sugar are whisked together until the mixture reaches ribbon stage. Then, cold heavy cream is whisked into the yolk mixture followed by vanilla. It is then poured into ramekins and baked in a bain-
marie, a type of heated bath.
Crème Brûlée Brownies
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 15 servings
Ingredients
· 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
· 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
· 2 cups granulated sugar
· 4 large eggs
· 1 T. vanilla extract
· 1 1/3 cups flour
· 12 oz (ish) jar hot fudge sauce
· Créme Bruleé Topping:
· 1/4 cup cornstarch
· 1 cup white sugar
· 6 T. butter, melted
· 3 1/4 cups half and half cream
· 2 t. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray thoroughly with nonstick spray;
set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa and melted butter. Stir in sugar until combined.
Stir in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla. Fold in flour JUST until you no longer see flour streaks in the batter. Gently fold in hot fudge sauce.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until raw batter no longer appears when a toothpick is inserted in the center. Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack.
4. Prepare topping: In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, whisk together cornstarch and sugar. Whisk in the melted butter and half and half. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is the consistency of a thick pudding. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Pour custard over the brownies, spreading to cover. Sprinkle surface with granulated sugar, then place under the broiler for several minutes until top is golden (may be dark brown is some spots). Alternately, a kitchen torch can be used.
6. Let brownies cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Remove foil, cut into bars and serve.
Dark Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 ramekins
Calories Per Serving: 655 kcal
Ingredients
· 6 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
· 1 cup milk
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 4 large egg yolks beaten
· vanilla sugar - 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1/4 cup sugar
· vanilla whipped cream - optional or use store-bought whipped cream
· 1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold
· 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. In saucepan, combine milk, cream, sugar and vanilla extract over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Add the eggs to a heat proof bowl. Add about a 1/4 cup of the hot cream and temper the egg yolks. Whisk until smooth and then add the remaining cream, and continue to whisk until smooth. Add the dark chocolate and mix well.
2. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer and pour in four ramekins (about 6-8 ounce ramekins). Set the ramekins in a 9x13 inch baking pan and place in the oven. Pour hot water in the pan to cover the ramekins half-way. Bake 45 to 55 minutes; the custard should jiggle like jello. Carefully remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Remove them from the 9x13 inch pan.
3. Make the whipped cream by placing your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer fo 15 to 20 minutes. Pour the cream into the cold bowl and whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to overbeat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
4. Preheat broiler. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well and sprinkle custards with the vanilla sugar. Broil 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream - optional.
Snickerdoodle Crème Brûlée
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
· 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
· 1/4 cup sugar
· pinch of salt
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 4 egg yolks
Topping
· 2 tablespoons sugar
· 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick. Stir and cook until it starts to bubble around the edges, then turn off the heat. Let sit and come to room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle or a large pot of water to boil. Place a damp kitchen towel in the bottom of a large baking dish. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Remove the cinnamon stick from the cream mixture and add the cream mixture to the egg yolks. Whisk completely. Pour into 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in the prepared baking dish and set the dish in the oven. Carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish, careful not to splash on the custards. Fill the water about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the custards until just set in the middle, 40-45 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, divide the sugar equally between the ramekins. Use a kitchen torch or oven broiler to brown the tops. Sprinkle on the cinnamon.
Lemon Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
·5 eggs yolks
·2 cups heavy cream
·1/2 cup granulated sugar
·2 teaspoons lemon extract
Instructions
· Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
· Whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until completely smooth. Add the heavy cream and lemon extract and lightly mix or fold into the egg and sugar mixture. Put empty ramekins in a casserole or baking dish with higher sides and fill the dish with hot water until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Fill the ramekins almost completely full with the egg mixture.
· Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out fairly clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
· Once completely cool (you can speed up the process by putting them in the fridge for a bit), lightly sprinkle brown sugar on the tops of the ramekins and then place under the broiler in the oven watching carefully until sugar caramelizes on the top. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
· Serves 4-6
Crème Brûlée with Candied Peaches
Ingredients: 6 egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups heavy cream 12 teaspoons brown sugar 1 ripe peach sliced very thinly
Instructions for the Custard
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a simmer so it’s steaming, but not boiling. Stir frequently so you don’t burn the bottom. Once hot, transfer to a heat-safe container with a spout for easy pouring, like a pyrex measuring glass.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, salt and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture whisking until just combined.
5. Pour the creme into four ramekins, dividing evenly. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and add water to the pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This is called a bain marie.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean/the custard jiggles a bit when moved but isn’t soupy.
7. Use potholders to remove the ramekins from the water bath and set aside on the counter to cool for 30 minutes.
8. Transfer to the fridge and let the custard set for at least 3 hours or up to two days.
Instructions for the Topping
1. Prepare the topping when you’re ready to serve it ,so it stays crisp. Arrange the sliced peaches on top of the custard and then cover with a coating of brown sugar.
2. Preheat the broiler and once hot, place the ramekins underneath the flame for about 2 minutes or until the sugar caramelizes.
3. Remove from heat and chill for about 10 minutes before serving; this allows the sugar to set. The natural juices from the peaches will soften the brûlée just a bit, but the flavor is well worth it.
Coconut Crème Brûlée
Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) light coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
sugar for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat first 4 ingredients together.
Pour into 4-8 ramekins, depending on how big they are.
Place the ramekins in a large baking dish and fill halfway up with boiling water.
Bake for 50-120 minutes or until set, no more jiggling when shaken. Timing will depend on how big your ramekins are. If you have to bake them longer, you’ll probably need to add more boiling water to the baking dish if it’s running low.
Cool on the counter until cool enough to put in the refrigerator.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Sprinkle each ramekin with sugar.
Torch the top until caramelized and light brown.
Serve right away or place back in the refrigerator.
Crème Brûlée Cupcakes
Yield: about 2 dozen cupcakes
Topping Ingredients
3 cups whole milk, divided
½ cup cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg
6 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)
6 tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 tsp. vanilla extract
Cupcake Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups buttermilk
Sugar, for finishing
Instructions
1. To make the pastry cream, combine 6 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk to blend well. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons of milk with the sugar, salt and vanilla bean. Warm over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, place the egg and egg yolks in a large liquid measuring cup and whisk lightly. Blend in the cornstarch mixture.
2. When the milk-sugar mixture just begins to simmer, slowly pour a portion of the warm milk into the measuring cup with the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Continue until most of the milk has been mixed in. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then cook until thickened, about 1 minute, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a bowl or storage container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly.
3. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition just until incorporated.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared liners filling each about half to two thirds full. Bake the cupcakes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until just set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.
5. To assemble the cupcakes, use a small paring knife to cut out a wide cone from the top of the cupcake. Transfer the pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip (I use Ateco #809). Fill the cones with a generous layer of the pastry cream. (If making in advance, the cupcakes can be covered and refrigerated at this point.) When ready to serve, sprinkle a layer of sugar over the surface of the pastry cream and caramelize to a golden brown with a kitchen torch. Serve immediately.
Salted Butterscotch Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
· 2 cups organic heavy cream
· 6 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
· 1 cup whole milk
· 6 large organic egg yolks
· 1/2 cup granulated sugar
· Maldon salt for sprinkling
Instructions
1. This recipe requires 8 4-oz ramekins and a kitchen torch.
2. Position rack in the center of the oven and heat the over to 325 degrees F.
3. In a large saucepan, add 1 cup of the heavy cream, brown sugar, butter, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a deep golden brown in cooler, for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Transfer mixture to a medium glass bowl and allow to cool.
4. Once the mixture has cooled, whisk in the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream, the milk, and egg yolks into the butterscotch mixture.
5. Gently pour mixture into a large measuring cup, or any other container that will allow you to easily pour. Carefully pour mixture evenly into all 8 ramekins. Place ramekins into a roasting pan and carefully pour hot water into roasting pan until water comes a bit more than halfway up to the ramekins.
6. Bake until the edges are set but the center jiggles slightly, approximately 22 to 25 minutes. I use tongs to shake the ramekin dishes to test for doneness.
7. Using tongs, remove creme brûlée from pan and allow to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
8. Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap and spindle one of the custards evenly with 1 teaspoon sugar. Pass a kitchen torch over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown. Repeat with the remaining custards. Sprinkle lightly with the Maldon salt.
S’mores Crème Brûlée
Ingredients for crème brûlée
· 2 cups heavy cream
· 5 large egg yolks
· 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
· 4 oz semisweet chocolate
· 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, optional
· 1/4 teaspoon ground coffee, optional
Ingredients for garnish
· Superfine sugar, around 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons per ramekin
· Mini marshmallows toasted, as many as you want
· Graham cracker crumbs, as much as you like
· Melted chocolate to drizzle on top
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300 F degrees.
2. Separate eggs and place the yolks in a
bowl. Eggs separate best when cold.
Add granulated sugar to the bowl of egg
yolks.
3. Whisk for 2-3 minutes or till sugar is completely dissolved and mixture turns pale yellow.
Set aside.
4. In a pan, put heavy cream on medium heat.
5. Once the cream heats a bit, add chopped chocolate.
6. Mix till chocolate is completely melted and mixed with the cream. Bring the mixture to a
light boil and remove from heat.
7. Add the cream to the egg yolk-sugar mixture, little at a time, stirring continuously. This is
important; you don't want to cook the eggs. So, add the cream little by little and keep
whisking.
8. Once all the cream is incorporated, add in the ground coffee (optional) and mix.
9. Strain the mixture to another bowl to get rid of any lumps/particles, if any.
10. Divide the mixture equally among 4 ramekins.
11. Transfer the ramekins to a pan and then fill the pan with boiling water till ramekins are half
submerged in water.
12. Bake at 300 F degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the custard appears set, but still jiggles
a bit. The deeper ramekins may take more time to set, these took 25 minutes.
13. Carefully remove the ramekins from the pan and let them cool completely. Once cooled,
wrap and chill overnight or for a minimum for 4 hours.
14. Once the custard is chilled, take the ramekins out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room
temperature for around 20-30 minutes.
15. Sprinkle around 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of sugar on each dish, making sure it's properly
covered with sugar.
16. Using your kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar, it will turn hard and crispy. You can also
do this step of melting the sugar in the oven, on broil.
17. Let the ramekins sit for 5 minutes and then top with graham cracker crumbs, as much as
you like!
18. Top with toasted marshmallows (broil or use torch), drizzle melted chocolate on top and
serve immediately with a graham cracker square.
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