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Brulee: White Chocolate-Cranberry Crème Brûlée

Source of Recipe

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2007


List of Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream
4 ounces white chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 (15-oz.) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
Ice cubes
Garnish: Sugared Cranberries and Mint (SEE BELOW)



Recipe

1. Combine 1/2 cup cream and white chocolate in a heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and remaining 1 1/2 cups cream.

2. Whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream mixture, whisking until well blended. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl.

3. Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp. cranberry sauce into each of 6 (4-oz.) ramekins. Pour cream-and-egg mixture evenly into ramekins; place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add water to pan to depth of 1/2 inch.

4. Bake at 300° for 45 to 55 minutes or until edges are set. Cool custards in pan on a wire rack 25 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath; cover and chill 8 hours.

5. Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. remaining sugar evenly over each ramekin. Fill a large roasting pan or 15- x 10- x 1-inch jelly-roll pan with ice; arrange ramekins in pan.

6. Broil 5 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until sugar is melted and caramelized. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

SERVES 6

---GARNISH

1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 bunch fresh mint sprigs
1/4 cup sugar

1. Using a clean paintbrush, gent­ly brush 1/4 cup corn syrup onto the top side of dried cranberries and mint sprigs.

2. Sprinkle sugar over cranberries and mint. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle remaining sugar over cranberries and mint, gently shaking off excess.




VARIATION: White Chocolate-Banana Creme Brulee: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Slice 2 bananas into 1/4-inch-thick slices; toss bananas with 1/3 cup sugar. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bananas, and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Line bottoms of 6 (4-oz.) ramekins evenly with banana slices. Pour cream mixture evenly into ramekins; place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add water to pan to depth of 1/2 inch. Proceed with recipe as directed.