Manageability – Woo fun.
I am a God. I can actually hold fire in my hand. I control it, I let it live, and I decide what burns. I am Zeus, destroyer of worlds! And if you want to be a God too, you should make Martha Stewart’s Creme Brulee.
Ok, maybe using a cooking torch isn’t the same thing as being a “God”, but it’s still pretty cool. And this is the perfect opportunity for it. Martha crushed it again with this Creme Brulee recipe, because not only are these fun to make (and kinda creatively made) they taste amazing. They’re sweet and full of creamy vanilla flavoring. Perfectly smooth and delicious. As for manageability, I liked putting the baking dishes in the roasting pan. Like tiny boats. But, as with anytime you temper eggs, you really gotta be on your game. Otherwise, it can go wrong – disgustingly and quickly. But if you follow the steps and stay alert, you’ll be torching brulee like Zeus in no time.
As for me, I started preparing this recipe using a $23 vanilla bean, and then my oven went out. So it was wasted. I had to start over with another bean. Why are vanilla beans so freaking expensive? We need to talk about this.
Ingredients
For Custard
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 7 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
For Topping
- 3/4 cup sugar
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Prepare oven and baking dishes: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Place eight 5-ounce baking dishes in a large roasting pan. Does that make sense? Ok, good.
- Gently heat cream: In a medium saucepan, combine cream and half the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons). Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pan, then add pod. Heat over medium just until mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, 7 to 8 minutes (do not let boil).
- Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with remaining sugar and the salt.
- Temper eggs: Use ladle to pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. (This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add two more ladles of cream mixture, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Gradually whisk in remaining cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup (to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits of egg).
- Bake: Divide custard evenly among baking dishes. Place pan in oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake until custards are just set (they should tremble slightly in center when shaken, like me during a horror movie), 30 to 40 minutes.
- Chill: Remove pan from oven. Use tongs to carefully remove dishes from hot-water bath and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving. The custard will finish setting in the refrigerator. If you like, transfer the custards to the freezer 15 minutes before serving to ensure they stay cold after being bruleed (this is especially important if using the broiler). BTW, “bruleed” is a word.
- Caramelize tops and serve: Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar over each custard. Working with one at a time, pass the flame of the torch in a circular motion 1 to 2 inches above the surface of each custard until the sugar bubbles, turns amber, and forms a smooth surface. Serve immediately! Don’t wait! Do it now!!