Crème brûlée: A French dessert consisting of a custard base with a hard caramel top. Traditionally, the dessert is served warm; however, in North America it is frequently served cold.
Though the original vanilla variety is delicious with no adjustments, I decided to try making a white chocolate variety. Crème brûlée is often flavored with coffee, lemon or orange zest, ginger, liqueurs, and fruit. My roommate has even made an autumn inspired pumpkin crème brûlée!
Aside from a few simple ingredients, you will also need individual ramekins. A ramekin is a glass or ceramic dish used to serve various desserts, cheese, and egg dishes. They are a simple way to serve individual sized portions and are great to have on hand when serving garnishes and condiments. Ramekins may be purchased at very inexpensive prices, though fancier varieties are available.
BIA Cordon Bleu Wavy Ramekin, Target, $9.99 for a set of 4
I made one mistake when serving this. Because I don’t have a kitchen torch to make the topping, I used the broiler. I should have chilled the custard longer following the topping, so that the custard underneath would be more firm. This, however, is a personal preference. If you like the custard warm, and loose, serve immediately.
What you will need:
- Medium Saucepan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowl
- Ramekins
- 9 x 13 Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- 4 Egg Yolks, Room Temperature
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 Oz. White Chocolate
- Extra Sugar for Topping
Just a few ingredients in this delicate dessert!
Directions:
In the mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth.
Whisk the yolks and sugar together until the mixture is smooth.
In the saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat.
While the cream is heating up, chop the white chocolate into small pieces.
Chop the white chocolate into small pieces so that it melts into the cream.
Once the cream is simmering, turn off the heat and add the chocolate while whisking continuously, until smooth.
Once the cream is simmering, turn off the heat and whisk the chocolate in until smooth.
While whisking, add a small amount of the cream and chocolate mixture. This will prevent the egg yolks from scrambling.
- Now, here is the tricky part. If you are by yourself, you will need to figure out a way to hold the mixing bowl, whisk, and pour at the same time. I used a measuring up. The handle of the cup was small enough that I could pour from it and steady the bowl with one hand while whisking with the other.
Add the remaining cream mixture and whisk till smooth.
Place the ramekins in the 9 x 13 inch pan. Fill each.
Fill the pan with about 1 1/2 inches of water so that the ramekins are baking in a water bath.
- A water bath is often used to bake delicate foods, such as custards, souffles, and cheesecakes. The temperature of water cannot rise above 212°F, so this ensures that the dessert will bake in gentle heat. The outside of each dish is surrounded by the lower heat, preventing the edges from over cooking, while heat is still able to reach the center. This allows the dish to bake evenly and the texture to remain smooth.
Be careful when adding the water into the pan. I recommend using a measuring cup or other pouring tool.
Bake at 300°F for 45 minutes, or until the custards have set. They should not look jiggly when moved or touched.
Remove from the water bath and chill for at least three hours, up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator. Top with a thin layer of sugar.
Before serving, top the custard with a thin layer of sugar and broil or torch. This makes the burnt sugar topping and is an essential part of crème brûlée.
Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the top or broil for about 4 minutes, or until the sugar has melted.
Use your spoon to crack the topping and reveal the smooth center.
Serve immediately or allow to rechill for about 30 minutes.
Bon Appétit!
College Cook! 