Espresso CrÈme Caramel Recipes

ESPRESSO CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• For the crust:
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.
• For the caramel:
• While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• For the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the springform pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
• Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

COFFEE CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup sugar, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Cover and cook, without stirring, over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove lid; continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until amber, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; carefully stir in coffee (mixture will bubble).
• When bubbling subsides, pour caramel into a 3-cup ceramic dish, or divide between two 4-inch ramekins. Tilt to completely coat bottom and halfway up sides. Let cool completely at room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Scrape vanilla seeds into a clean small saucepan; add vanilla pod, half and half, and 1/4 cup sugar. Heat over medium until bubbles form around edges; remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and yolk, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk into hot half-and-half mixture. Strain through a sieve.
• Pour into dish coated with caramel. Place in a roasting pan on center rack of oven; add boiling water to reach halfway up sides of custard dish. Bake until custard is set around edges and still slightly jiggly in center, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove dish from water bath and let cool completely, then refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Run a thin, flexible knife around edge of crème caramel to release it. Place a serving plate on top, flip to unmold, and serve.

COFFEE-CARAMEL CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup cream and coffee beans to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let steep at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, swirling pan occasionally, about 11 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir over low heat until caramel is smooth. Stir in half and half. Strain coffee-infused cream into caramel cream; discard coffee beans in strainer.
• Whisk yolks, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Strain custard into large measuring cup.
• Arrange eight 2/3- to 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups in roasting pan. Divide custard among ramekins. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins or custard cups.
• Bake custards until just set in center, 65 to 70 minutes. Transfer custards from water bath directly to refrigerator. Chill uncovered until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Sprinkle top of each custard with 1 teaspoon raw sugar. Using kitchen torch, melt sugar on each custard until deep amber. (Alternatively, preheat broiler. Arrange custards on small rimmed baking sheet; broil until sugar topping melts and browns, about 2 minutes.) Refrigerate custards until sugar topping hardens, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (do not chill longer than 1 hour or topping will start to soften). Serve custards cold.

ESPRESSO CRÈME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Once the milk mixture has cooled slightly, gradually whisk it into the egg mixture. Strain the custard mixture through a sieve and into a 4-cup/1 liter measuring cup. Pour the custard mixture over the caramel in the ramekins, dividing equally. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up sides of the ramekins. Bake until the outer 1-inch/2.5-cm perimeters of the custards are softly set but the centers are still loose, about 1 hour (the custard will firm up after it is refrigerated). To test whether the crème caramels are ready, push a small knife into the center of one of the dishes, and if the caramel rises out of the hole made by the knife, then they are ready. Remove the roasting pan from the oven then remove the crème caramels from the roasting pan. Refrigerate the crème caramels until cold, at least 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Refrigerating the crème caramels overnight allows time for the caramel to dissolve and form a thin sauce when the custards are inverted. To serve the crème caramels: When ready to serve the crème caramels, run a small sharp knife around the sides of the ramekins to loosen the custards from the ramekins. Working with one crème caramel at a time, place a plate atop the crème caramel; invert the crème caramel onto the plate. Shake gently to release the crème caramel from the dish (you will hear it being released and fall onto the plate). Carefully remove the dish, allowing the caramel syrup to run over the crème caramel. Garnish with the fresh raspberries and serve.