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Friday, January 26, 2007 

Creme brulee

I finally got around to making creme brulee for the first time last weekend. I invited a friend over for an impromptu dinner and since I had eggs and cream, I decided to make creme brulee. Ever since I tried creme brulee at Finale in Harvard Sq. I've looked forward to trying to make it myself one day. I'm happy to say that it turned out quite well - as good as the ones they sell at Finale, if I say so myself. My dinner guest concurred. It's really easy too - which makes me wonder why we shell out so much $ for dessert. But then again, maybe it's better that way. Easy access to sweet fattening desserts isn't such a great idea. If you actually had to work to make it, it's more likely you won't want to go to the trouble and thus not forget about it. Or if you buy it, you only buy one as opposed to making it, having extra and eating it all yourself. Hey, if you're going to go to all that trouble, you're not going to make ONE cookie, pastry, etc. Which is why I like having guests or potlucks - it gives me an opportunity to try out new recipes and share the calories. Not that my guinea pigs seem to mind. =)

Crème Brulee

(serves 5-6)

From Barefoot in Paris

1 extra large egg

4 extra large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (can be omitted)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix egg, egg yolks and sugar together.

Scald cream until very hot to the touch but not boiled. Slowly add cream to the egg/sugar mixture, mixing while adding cream in portions.

Add vanilla and Grand Marnier to the cream/egg/sugar mixture.

Pour mixture into ramekins until almost full.

Place ramekins in baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan until halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake 35-40 minutes until custards are set when gently shaken. Remove from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until firm.

Before serving, spead 1 tablespoon of sugar (turbinado sugar works better, also known as “sugar in the raw”) even on top of each ramekin and heat until the sugar caramelizes evenly.

7:36 PM |

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