Créme Brulee With Sugared Grapes Recipes

CLASSIC CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the cream, egg yolks and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Stir in vanilla. , Transfer to eight 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Place cups in a baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove ramekins from water bath; cool for 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours., One hour before serving, place custards on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar. Broil 8 in. from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Refrigerate leftovers.

CLASSIC CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Using tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean, if using, into cream and add pod (if using vanilla extract, do not add it yet). Heat cream over moderate heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat and discard pod.
• Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and whisk in vanilla extract, if using. Ladle custard into ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. With tongs, transfer custards to a rack to cool, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours.
• Just before serving, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over custards. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth close to sugar until sugar is caramelized. Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Variation:
• Coffee Crème Brûlée: Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.

PERFECT CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Move a rack to the bottom of the oven.
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together in a stainless steel bowl until smooth. Bring the cream just to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat; pour into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continually until combined.
• Bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in an oven-safe saucepan over medium low heat; set the bowl with the cream mixture over the saucepan to form a double boiler.
• Place the entire double boiler into the preheated oven; bake until the mixture sets, about 30 minutes.
• Chill in refrigerator 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Combine the brown sugar with 2 tablespoons of white sugar in a bowl; sprinkle evenly over the cold creme.
• Heat under the preheated broiler until the sugar melts and browns, 2 to 3 minutes; return immediately to the refrigerator and chill until the sugar is set, about 15 minutes.

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.

CARAMEL CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, heat whipping cream and cream until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, extract and salt until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture., Place an ungreased broiler-safe 13x9-in. baking dish in a baking pan large enough to hold it without touching the sides. Pour egg mixture into dish. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1 in. of top of dish. Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 40-50 minutes. Immediately remove dish from water bath to a wire rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold., Mix brown sugar and remaining sugar. To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custard evenly with sugar mixture. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour., To caramelize topping in a broiler, let custard stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle custard evenly with sugar mixture. Broil 3-4 in. from heat until sugar is caramelized, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

FRENCH CREAM WITH SUGARED GRAPES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine sour cream and cream until well blended. Gradually stir in sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat., In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 40 seconds. Stir; let stand for 1 minute or until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir into sour cream mixture., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add gelatin cream mixture and vanilla just until combined. Pour into a 4-cup mold coated with cooking spray. Chill for at least 4 hours or until set., Dip grapes into water and shake off excess moisture; dip into sugar, turning to coat. Unmold dessert onto a serving platter; surround with sugared grapes.

CRéME BRULEE WITH SUGARED GRAPES

Steps:

• Day before serving, over low heat, heat heavy cream in a heavy, 2 ½ quart saucepan just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat. In double boiler top, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat yolks until very thick and light.
• Gradually beat in 1/3 cup granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until very thick-about 4 minutes. Gradually stir in cream, using wooden spoon. Cook, over hot, not boiling, water, stirring constantly, until thickened-about 15 minutes.
• Mixture should be thick enough to form a coating on a metal spoon. Add vanilla. Strain custard into attractive 9-inch shallow baking dish, 1 inch deep, or 9-inch pie plate. Or turn into 6 (1/2 cup) individual soufflé dishes. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• An hour or two before serving, set in large baking pan; surround completely with ice. Sift brown sugar through strainer evenly over surface. Run under broiler, 4 inches from heat, just until sugar melts slightly and caramelizes-it forms a hard crust.
• Refrigerate until serving. Meanwhile, prepare frosted grapes: Wash and dry bunches of grapes on paper towels. With soft brush, coat grapes with slightly beaten egg white. Quickly roll in granulated sugar to coat well. Place on rack on tray to dry.
• If necessary, roll grapes in sugar to coat once again. Place in freezer a few minutes.
• To serve: Place crème brulee on silver platter; surround with small bunches of frosted grapes, alternating with large strawberries. Makes 8 servings.
• McCall's Cooking School.