Classic Crème Bruleé and Sojourn
Featured in our 2020 Wine & Food Pairing Series – Watch Video
Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
Special Equipment
6 (5-ounce) flameproof ramekins; a small blowtorch
Preparation
- Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Using the 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 the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the 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 the custards. Move the blowtorch flame evenly back and forth close to the sugar until the sugar is caramelized. Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Variation
Coffee Crème Brûlée (pairs well with Iron Hub Sojourn):
Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.
Make Ahead
The custards can be refrigerated for up to 2 days (cover after the first 4 hours). Pat the tops gently with paper towels before sprinkling with turbinado sugar and caramelizing.
Recipe from Epicurious.com