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Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Source of Recipe


Cuisine at Home magazine



List of Ingredients



• ½ vanilla bean, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  
• 2 Tbsp sugar
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• 1 cup half-and-half
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 1 egg
  
• ¼ cup sugar
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• .
  
• -- Caramelize custards with --
  
• Crème Brûlée Sugar
  






Instructions



1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
   Pulverize vanilla bean and two tablespoons sugar in a coffee grinder to make vanilla sugar.
   
   
2. Warm cream, half-and-half, and vanilla sugar in a saucepan over medium heat just until steam rises. Whisk yolks, egg, ¼ cup sugar and salt together in a mixing bowl. Temper hot cream mixture into eggs, strain into a measuring cup with a spout, and divide among six 4-ounce ovenproof ramekins.
   
   
3. Arrange dishes in a baking pan, then carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Add hot water to the pan and bake custards 35 to 45 minutes, or until just set; do not overcook. Remove ramekins from the water bath, cool, then wrap loosely in plastic wrap. Chill until completely cold, preferably overnight. Caramelize each custard before serving by burning sugar on top with a kitchen torch.
   
   Makes six 4-ounce ramekins.
   
   ............
   
   Crème Brûlée Sugar
   
   • ½ cup brown sugar
   • ¼ cup sugar
   
   Combine both sugars, then spread the mixture out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. After baking the brûlées, turn off the oven and place the pan inside for an hour to dry out the sugar. Transfer sugar to a food processor and pulverize until fine. Store in an airtight container until ready to caramelize.
   
   Makes ¾ cup
   (enough for six 4-ounce crème brûlées)
   
   






Final Comments


• To test custards for doneness:
Gently tap one in the center -- if it's still runny, bake 3 to 5 more minutes, then test again. When they quiver like Jell-O, they're done. They may seem soft, but they'll keep cooking from residual heat, and will firm up even more with chilling. The custards MUST be cold before caramelizing or they'll melt from the torch.

• To "burn" crème brûlée:
The blend of brown and white sugar caramelizes quickly so the custard won't be as prone to curdle from prolonged heat of the torch.

1) Blot top of custards dry with a paper towel, if needed. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar mixture over each one; tap out any excess sugar.

2) Using a kitchen or propane torch, melt the sugar by waving the flame 4 to 8 inches from the surface.

3) Burn until surface is caramelized and no dry sugar is visible. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes before serving so the topping hardens.