Crème Brûlée With Berries Recipes

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!

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.

VANILLA CRèME BRûLéE WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread 1 tablespoon jam over bottom of each of six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Press 7 berries, placed on their sides, into jam in each dish. Reserve remaining raspberries for garnish.
• Whisk yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Gradually whisk in cream. Divide mixture among dishes. Arrange dishes in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of dishes.
• Bake custards until set in center, about 40 minutes. Place pan on work surface. Cool custards in water 30 minutes. Remove from water; chill overnight.
• Preheat broiler. Sieve 2 teaspoons brown 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. Chill until topping hardens, about 2 hours. Garnish with reserved berries.

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.

BLACKBERRY CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Up to 36 hours ahead - put the split vanilla pod and cream in a heavy saucepan and gently bring to simmering point. Whisk as soon as the first bubbles start to rise, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to infuse for about 20 minutes.
• Fish out a half-pod from the cream and hold it over the pan, then use the tip of a small knife to scrape the black seeds inside into the pan. Repeat with the other pod, then whisk to disperse the seeds.
• Meanwhile,whizz the egg yolks and sugar in a food processor for 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy. Scrape the mixture into the cream and stir to combine. Place the pan over a medium heat and gently whisk constantly until the custard has thickened considerably and is on the point of boiling (when the first few bubbles break through the surface).
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat and plunge the base into a sink of ice-cold water. Continue to gently whisk for 1-2 minutes, or until most of the heat has dissipated. Leave to cool, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin forming.
• Meanwhile, place six little heatproof dishes, about 10cm in diameter and 2.5cm deep (see tip), on a tray that will fit in the fridge. Divide the blackberries among them, then cover with the cool custard and chill until firmly set. Loosely drape with cling film over to cover.
• An hour or so before serving - if you don't have a blow torch to brûlée the custard, use a very hot grill. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over each dish then, if using a blow torch, carefully 'burn' the sugar, starting on the nearest side: the sugar will bubble and turn a dark caramel. Wait for a few minutes for the surface to harden before serving but DO NOT be tempted to touch as the sugar remains blisteringly hot for some while. Alternatively, put the ramekins on a baking sheet close to the grill until the sugar caramelises. Keep them cool until ready to serve, but not in the fridge or the caramel will soften.