Bourbon Brûlé Recipes

BOURBON BRûLé

Steps:

• Slice the orange in half horizontally. Cut a thin slice (no more than 1/8 inch) from each half. Coat one side of each slice with the sugar. Heat a small, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, on high. Place the orange slices, sugar-side down, in the skillet and sear for a couple of minutes, until lightly caramelized. Remove from pan and let cool, browned side up. Juice the rest of the orange; you should have about 1/4 cup. *For a smokier taste we used a culinary blowtorch on the sliced oranges instead of the skillet.
• Combine bourbon, sherry, ginger liqueur and orange juice in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Stir briefly to chill. Strain over ice into two rocks glasses. Place an orange slice, caramelized side up, directly in each glass, sitting on top of the rocks. Serve.

BOURBON BRûLé

Steps:

• Slice the orange in half horizontally. Cut a thin slice (no more than 1/8 inch) from each half. Coat one side of each slice with the sugar. Heat a small, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, on high. Place the orange slices, sugar-side down, in the skillet and sear for a couple of minutes, until lightly caramelized. Remove from pan and let cool, browned side up. Juice the rest of the orange; you should have about 1/4 cup.
• Combine bourbon, sherry, ginger liqueur and orange juice in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Stir briefly to chill. Strain over ice into two rocks glasses. Place an orange slice, caramelized side up, directly in each glass, sitting on top of the rocks. Serve.

BUFALA NEGRA

Steps:

• Muddle sugar, vinegar and 4 basil leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add bourbon and ice and shake to dissolve sugar.
• Strain over ice into old-fashioned glass, top with ginger beer and garnish with basil. Serve.

BOURBON VANILLA CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Add egg yolks to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until eggs are thick and light yellow, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla bean paste.
• Pour cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water and simmer until just hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Pour half of the warmed cream into the egg mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly so eggs do not curdle.
• Pour egg yolk-cream mixture into the remaining cream in the double boiler.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let mixture boil.
• Pour custard into 4 small ramekins and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
• Sprinkle each crème brûlée with some of the remaining tablespoon of superfine sugar.
• Use a blowtorch to melt the sugar on top of the crème brûlée. It will crystallize as it hardens. Alternatively you can use the oven broiler, but be careful to not burn the sugar.
• Lightly tap the crystallized sugar with the back of a spoon to break it before eating.

BOURBON: OLD-FASHIONED

Steps:

• Muddle the sugar cube the Angostura bitters. Add ice and pour in the whiskey. Garnish: lemon twist.

VANILLA CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt and cook over low heat just until hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then discard vanilla bean. (If using vanilla extract, add it now.)
• In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the cream into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir. Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish; fill dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until centers are barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple of days.
• When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within two hours.

IL SORPASSO

Steps:

• In a cocktail shaker, combine the Aperol, bourbon, honey, lemon juice and sugar. Shake well.
• Fill a rocks glass with ice, and pour in contents of the shaker. Top with club soda, and garnish with orange slice.