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Christmas: Chocolate Mint Crème Brûlée

Source of Recipe


From "I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas"



List of Ingredients



• 3 cups heavy cream
  
• 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  
• 6 large egg yolks
  
• 9 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp bourbon
  
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
  
• .
  
• Mint sprigs for garnish, optional
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.
   Pour 2 cups water into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Place the pan on the center rack of the oven.
   
   
2. Combine the cream, vanilla bean and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Place ¾ cup of the sugar and the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Ladle ½ cup of the hot cream into the yolks and whisk gently to incorporate. Pour the egg-yolk-and-cream mixture back into the saucepan, and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the chopped chocolate and incorporate all of the ingredients. Pour the chocolate custard through a fine-gauge strainer into a 4-cup heatproof glass measuring cup. Add the bourbon and peppermint extract and stir to incorporate.
   
   
3. Place 6 flameproof (7-ounce) custard cups or ramekins into the water in the baking pan. Pour an equal amount of the custard into the cups. Bake for about 1 hour, or until just set. (Rotate the baking pan 180° halfway through the baking time.) The top of the custards should still slightly shake; the custard will completely set when chilled.
   
   
4. Remove the custard cups from the baking pan and place them on a wire rack until cool, about 30 minutes. Cover each custard cup with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
   
   
5. To serve:
   Preheat the broiler. Remove the chilled custards from the refrigerator; remove and discard the plastic wrap. Place the custard cups on a baking sheet and evenly sprinkle the top of each custard with 1 teaspoon sugar. Position the baking sheet on the center rack under the broiler, and broil until the sugar is caramelized to a dark amber. Refrigerate the custards for a few minutes to firm the caramelized sugar before serving. Garnish each with a mint sprig, if desired.
   
   Makes 6 crème brûlées.