Brandy Crème Brûlée Dessert Recipes

SIMPLE CREME BRULEE DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk 3 tablespoons sugar and cream in a microwave-safe bowl until well combined; heat the mixture in microwave until warm, 1 to 2 minutes, and whisk again to dissolve sugar. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla extract until smooth.
• Pour cream mixture into 2 ramekins. Set ramekins into a roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until creme desserts are set but still slightly jiggly when shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove ramekins from hot water and chill in refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top of each dessert. Use a kitchen torch to lightly toast and melt the sugar topping until brown and bubbly, about 30 seconds. Let the sugar topping cool before serving. To serve, use a spoon to crack the crisp sugar open to reveal the creamy dessert underneath.

COFFEE-BRANDY CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine cream and 1/4 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan; bring almost to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add coffee and whisk to dissolve. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in warm cream mixture, then brandy and vanilla. Strain custard into 4-cup measuring cup; pour into ramekins, dividing equally. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until center moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 35 minutes. Remove custards from pan. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours, then cover and keep chilled overnight.
• Preheat broiler. Arrange custards on baking sheet. Press 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar through strainer onto each custard, forming even layer. Broil 6 inches from heat source until sugar melts, bubbles and caramelizes, watching carefully and rotating sheet for even browning, about 4 minutes. Refrigerate custards until sugar topping hardens, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours before serving.

RASPBERRY BRûLéE

Steps:

• Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into a pan with the lemon zest and cream. Toss the pod in too. Heat until just before the cream boils - tiny bubbles will be forming at the edges. Turn off the heat and infuse for 15 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put four ramekins into a roasting tin and fill the tin with boiling water so that about 2cm of the ramekins is uncovered.
• Divide the raspberries between the ramekins, reserving a few. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar, using an electric whisk, until very pale and fluffy, about 3 mins. Remove the zest and vanilla pod from the cooled cream, then slowly stir it into the egg mixture. Transfer to a jug and pour through a sieve into the ramekins, then top with the reserved raspberries. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until the custard forms a skin and holds a slight wobble when you nudge the tray. Allow to cool, then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hrs.
• If you don't have a blowtorch, heat the grill to high. Sprinkle demerara sugar over each ramekin and either use a blowtorch to caramelise the top or place them under the grill until the sugar has melted and crisped. Allow to settle for 5 mins before serving.

BRANDY CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place eight 6-ounce ramekin or crème brûlée dishes in a larger baking pan. Heat a kettle of water.
• Pour the cream into a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup of sugar and the vanilla bean, with the scrapings. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Whisk 1/4 cup of sugar into the egg yolks until well mixed. Gently whisk the cream into the yolks, add the Herbsaint and brandy, then strain through a fine sieve.
• I actually prefer to fill the ramekins and water bath when the pan is already in the oven, so I don't spill either when I move them. Place the pan with the ramekins on the middle rack of the oven with the door open, and use a ladle to fill the ramekins with the custard. Carefully pour hot water into the pan about halfway up the sides of the ramekins, cover the pan with foil, then gently slide the oven rack into the oven. Bake the custards for about 40 minutes, rotating once. It is a good idea to take a peek after about 25 minutes and make sure they are not cooking too fast (in which case they would look overly dry and shriveled). This is especially good to do if you are using the shallow, wide variety of crème brûlée dishes. Custard is done when it's just barely set and jiggles when you move the ramekin. Remove them from the oven, uncover, let cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate. The custards should be chilled for about 2 hours before caramelizing with the sugar.
• Sprinkle the tops of the custards with a thin layer of sugar and brown under a broiler or with a butane torch held 4-6 inches from the surface. When the sugar starts to bubble and brown, sprinkle lightly with another layer of sugar and brown the second layer. You'll use about 1/2 cup of sugar in all. For the most crackly top, serve within 10 minutes of caramelizing.