Foolproof Creme Brulee
Serves 6 The resulting Crème Brulee is a light, elegant custard rather than a more traditional heavy custard dish. Ingredients
For Custard
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light cream
3 large eggs
¼ cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract For the Caramel Topping
¼ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar Directions
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place a thin kitchen towel or a silpat evenly over the bottom of a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the ramekins. Place 6 6-ounce ramekins on top of the towel/silpat, making sure that the4y do not touch the sides of the pan. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil.For the custard: Heat the heavy and light creams in a saucepan until the mixture simmers. Meanwhile, gently whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Slowly add about a cup of the hot cream mixture to the egg mixture, whisking gently until combined. Now add the rest of the cream mixture, stirring gently with a spoon to mix. Strain mixture through a fine strainer into a large measuring cup or pitcher, then pour evenly into the 6 ramekins. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. DO NOT ALLOW THE RAMEKINS TO TOUCH THE PAN SIDES!Bake for approximately 40 to 70 minutes (it may take longer in some ovens), or until the custards are set but still quiver in the center when gently shaken. Remove from the water bath and let cool completely. (Note that if you use a larger, shallower ramekin – 9 ounce size, for example – the custard will cook more quickly, in as little as 30 minutes). Chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.To finish with caramel syrup: Place water and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir but swirl the pan frequently until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring syrup to a boil. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, still on high. Uncover pan and cook until syrup begins to take on color. After about 3 minutes, the syrup will froth and bubble. After about 8 minutes, it will start to darken quickly. Swirl pan s constantly at this point, placing pan on and off the heat as you work so the syrup does not darken too quickly. Remove pan from heat when the syrup is light mahogany in color. Be careful. Once the syrup starts to darken, it will change color rapidly. It will also continue to darken off the heat. Pour a thin layer of the hot syrup into one ramekin at a time, swirling each cup to completely cover the custard. It is best to add the syrup all at once to each custard cup for an even top layer. The syrup hardens very quickly, so if you add it in batches, the top surface will be uneven in both thickness and color.
Variations – Pumpkin and Spice Crème Brulee Ingredients:
1 foolproof Crème Brulee ingredient set
2 teaspoons rum
1 cup pureed pumpkin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger Directions -- Follow the foolproof Crème Brulee directions with the following adjustments:
Add the rum, pumpkin, cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger into the egg mixture.
Remove any foam or bubbles before pouring the custard mixture into the ramekins. The Dessert Bible, Christopher Kimball, Page 329-330
Elegantly Easy Crème Brulee & Other Custard Desserts, Debbie Puente, Page 70
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