Bake Along #127 – Creme Brulee

Crème brûlée (Pronounced – Krem-bru-leh), is a classic french dessert which is nothing but a baked custard topped with sugar which is then caramelized using a blow torch. It was in my wish list for years together and until I had a blow torch.

The moment I owned one, I was craving to get to shooting it (I love to call it shooting ) and relish the beautiful dessert by knocking down the hard crust sugar caramel and dive down into the most delicious, creamy, smooth and a luscious custard.

Ingredients:

Dairy cream – 1 cup
Sugar – 3 tablespoons
Vanilla bean paste/ extract – 1 teaspoon
Egg yolks – 3
Sugar – 5 tablespoons, for caramel to drizzle on top of custard

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 150 degree C. Add yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl.

2. Use a wire whisk and stir the yolks and sugar thoroughly until it is pale in colour. Add vanilla and whisk again until combined.

3. Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium flame until it begins to boil on the sides. Do not let it fully boil.

4. Pour the hot cream, in a slow stream, over the yolks-sugar mixture while constantly whisking it as you pour. This will temper the yolks and prevent it from getting cooked.

5. Once all the cream has been added, whisk it thoroughly, but do not incorporate lot of air bubbles.

6. Fill individual ramekins till the rim. You can also use a single flat bottomed glass/ ceramic bowl and fill it up if you don’t have individual ramekins.

7. Boil 1 cup of water and add the boiling water into your baking tray. Place the filled up ramekins in the baking tray with water. Check for the water quantity. Your ramekins should sit comfortably. If it floats, reduce the water in the baking tray.

8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 150 degree C. The top will still be jiggly. Cool on wire rack. Remove the ramkins from the baking tray and let cool completely. Chill it in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

9.Remove from refrigerator. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of sugar on top of each custard.

10. Use a blow torch and keep the edge of the gun about 3 to 4 inches away from the dessert and trigger the gun. The fire will start caramelizing the sugar. Do not focus at one place for long, or it may over burn the sugar. Keep moving and let it caramelize to the extent you would like.

They are ready to be served right away. You need to keep it in the refrigerator. The sugar caramel will form a hard crust on top. You will break through the shell and will find the delicate, creamy custard with in.

You can flavor the custard of your choice. You can infuse the cream with coffee, cinnamon, elachi, saffron, mint,orange/lemon zest etc. One of the most simplest dessert we wouldn’t have tried only because we never had a blow torch. It is worthy to own one and then just toast things away.