Berries Brûlée Recipes

BERRY BRûLéE

Steps:

• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream and 1 teaspoon sugar until soft peaks form.
• Combine berries and whipped cream in a heat safe dish (I used a pie plate).
• Working with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, sprinkle a layer of sugar over the berries and then caramelize with a kitchen torch, using a back and forth motion. Work with one section of the dish at a time: sprinkle sugar, caramelize that sugar, then repeat both steps in another area, until the whole thing is done. Place the dish in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the sugar to harden. Serve immediately on its own or alongside pound cake or angel food cake.

CREME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST WITH DRUNKEN STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• For the French toast: At least 2 hours and up to 1 day ahead, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread slices on a rack on a baking sheet. Put the bread in the preheated oven, then immediately turn the oven off and let the bread sit until it begins to dry out, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Whisk together the eggs, yolks and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, orange liqueur, vanilla, orange zest and salt. Lay the bread on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish, pour the custard mixture over the top and let sit for 15 minutes. Flip and let sit for at least 30 minutes more. (You can also cover and refrigerate overnight, turning a few more times.)
• For the strawberries: Meanwhile, combine the strawberries, granulated sugar and orange liqueur in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature until the strawberries release their juices and soften slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. While the bread is soaking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over high heat, then add the muscovado sugar and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and spread the mixture evenly over it. Place the soaked bread directly on the sugar. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 20 minutes.
• Serve the French toast, sugar-side up, topped with the berries and their juices.

CRèME BRûLéE WITH BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Whisk yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk vigorously until yolk mixture is pale yellow and hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture; discard vanilla bean.
• Divide cream mixture among six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Arrange dishes in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Bake custards until almost set in center and light golden on top, about 35 minutes. Remove custards from water; refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat broiler. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar atop each custard. Place dishes on small baking sheet. Broil until sugar just starts to caramelize, rotating sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate custards until topping hardens, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, toss berries, brown sugar, and raspberry liqueur, if desired, in large bowl. Spoon berry mixture atop custards and serve immediately.

COWBOY CREME BRULEES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Pour the cream into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Scrape the vanilla caviar (seeds) from the vanilla bean and add it to the cream. Bring almost to the boil, then turn off the heat.
• Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the sugar. With a whisk, mix the eggs and sugar together like crazy until they are a very pale yellow, about 4 minutes.
• Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the hot cream into the bowl through the strainer to remove any skin or impurities in the cream.
• Slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of the hot cream into the egg/sugar mixture while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Continue adding the rest of the hot cream to the bowl very slowly, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. You can add the cream a little more rapidly as the mixture warms; touch the side of the bowl to gauge the mixture's temperature. Gently stir in the lemon zest.
• Arrange 4 shallow ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle the mixture into the ramekins until they are roughly three-quarters of the way full. Carefully place the baking sheet in the oven. With the rack slightly pulled out, gently pour hot water into the baking sheet until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the outside of the ramekins.
• Bake until the custard is set but not brown on the top, roughly 22 minutes. Watch closely as these can brown very quickly toward the end. Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.
• Refrigerate the custard-filled ramekins, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• When you are ready to serve, sprinkle each of the custards generously with superfine sugar. Using a kitchen torch, crisp the sugar until it is light brown and just bubbling; a back and forth motion works best. Be sure to work quickly to avoid cooking the custard below. This step can be done within an hour of serving. Garnish each custard with Black and Blue Berries.
• Put 1/2 cup each of the blackberries and blueberries in a saucepan and add the sugar, blackberry jam, honey, lemon zest, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the berries gently until they are good and broken up.
• Add the remaining 2 cups each blackberries and blueberries to a mixing bowl. Pour the warm berry mixture over the fresh berries and fold everything together with a spatula until well coated. Allow everything to cool 10 minutes or so before serving. Serve atop your favorite dessert.

SIMPLE VANILLA CREME BRULEE WITH BERRY COULIS

Steps:

• For the creme brulee: Arrange an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Place four 6-ounce ramekins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a kettle or saucepan with water to a boil.
• Bring the heavy cream to a light simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk the sugar, salt and egg yolks in a large bowl or measuring cup. Slowly pour the hot cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Pour or ladle the custard evenly into the ramekins. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to come two-thirds of the way up the ramekins, making sure to keep the water out of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set and firm when shaken, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the custards and let cool to room temperature on a rack, then chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• For the berry coulis: Add the berries, sugar, lemon zest and juice and mint to a food processor and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar over a custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar by keeping the flame close to the sugar but moving it constantly to get an even color. Repeat with the remaining custards. Alternatively, sprinkle sugar over all the custards and place on a baking sheet under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler.
• Serve immediately with the berry coulis, a few fresh berries and a sprig of mint on top!

CRANBERRY CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium heat 12-15 minutes or until berries pop, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce into each of eight 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins or custard cups; refrigerate 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce until serving., For custard, in a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly stir in hot cream. Stir in vanilla and remaining cream. , Place prepared ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Spoon custard over cranberry sauce. Place pan on oven rack; add 1 in. of very hot water to pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until set (centers will still be soft). Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Hold torch flame 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until sugar is caramelized., Serve custards with remaining cranberry sauce.

SUMMER BERRY BRULéE

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to pack instructions. Drain and cool. Divide the fruit between 6 x 150ml ramekin dishes, drizzle the cassis over and set to one side.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and put in a pan with the cream and the empty pod. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave for 5 mins. Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl.
• Stir the cream into the egg. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
• Stir the cooked rice into the custard mixture. Ladle into the ramekins and leave in the fridge for 6 hrs.
• Sprinkle sugar over the tops and caramelise with a blow torch or under a very hot grill until it turns dark brown. Let it cool and harden before serving.

BERRIES BRûLéE

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Pick over berries, and remove any mildewed ones, leaves or husks. If using strawberries, hull each, then cut lengthwise in halves or quarters.
• Arrange berries in a shallow baking dish. Stir sour cream until smooth, and spread over berries. Place brown sugar in small sieve, and press through to cover sour cream in a light, even layer. Broil until sugar begins to bubble and lightly caramelize; do not allow to burn. Serve at once.

LEMON CRèME BRûLéE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange eight 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine cream and lemon peel in heavy small saucepan and bring to simmer. Whisk sugar and yolks in large bowl until thick, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture, then vanilla and salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Strain custard, then divide among cups. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
• Bake custards until just set in center, about 55 minutes. Remove custards from water bath; chill uncovered until firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat broiler. Place custard cups on baking sheet. Strain brown sugar through small sieve onto custards, dividing equally. Broil until sugar melts and browns, about 2 minutes. Chill until topping is hard and crisp, at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
• Combine raspberries and liqueur in bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Spoon berry mixture atop custards.

MASCARPONE BRULEE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Mix strawberries, blackberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and orange juice together in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
• Stir mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl.
• Spread mascarpone mixture over the top of each shortcake half; sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar over the top to cover. Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch, 20 to 30 seconds per shortcake. Place each shortcake in a shallow bowl and surround with berries and accumulated juices.