ATK Classic Crème Brulee
4 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
12 large egg yolks
8-12 teaspoons turbinado or demerara sugar
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat over to 300 degrees.
2. Combine 2 cups cream, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan; with paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, submerge pod in cream, and bring mix to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves. Take pan off heat and let steep 15 minutes to infuse flavors.
4. After cream has steeped, stir in remaining 2 cups cream to cool down mixture. Whisk yolks in large bowl until broken up and combined. Whisk about 1 cup cream mix into yolks until loosened and combined; repeat with another 1 cup cream. Add remaining cream and whisk until evenly colored and thoroughly combined. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into 2-quart measuring cup or pitcher ( or clean medium bowl); discard solids in strainer. Pour or ladle mix into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.
5. Carefully place baking dish with ramekins on oven rack; pour boiling water into dish, taking care not to splash water into ramekins, until water reaches two-thirds height of ramekins. Bake until centers of custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy and digital instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 170-175 degrees, 30-35 minutes for shallow fluted dishes. Begin checking temperature about 5 minutes before recommended time.
6. Transfer ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Set ramekins on rimmed baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
Sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar (1 ½ teaspoons for shallow fluted dishes); tilt and tap ramekin for even coverage. Ignite torch and caramelize sugar. Refrigerate ramekins, uncovered to re-chill, 30-45 minutes (but no longer); serve.
* You can substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla extract instead of vanilla beans, just whisk into yolks in step 4.
Sara,
ReplyDeleteYour Creme Brulee looks fantastic...all crunchy and creamy! Not a sin, but a blessing! ;-)
Thanks from Malena!