Creme Brulee' - Easier Than You Think.
September 7th 2006 09:49
Preparing food for one's friends and family is one thing, preparing fare that will convince them your cooking skills exceed that of a drunken chimpanzee is another story entirely.
Nothing sexes up a dinner like dessert. End on a high note and even that lamb rack that you charred - to the extent that made the pagan gods take notice - will be forgotten. Excel at the end of a meal and that's generally what your victims will store away in their memories under '___insert your name here___, Cooking Skills Of'.
Creme Brulee' is an excellent way to fake cooking prowess. It's relatively easy, it's dramatic and - if done reasonably well - transports the dinner guest on a sensory journey...perhaps to the bank of the river Seine on a lazy Sunday afternoon whilst watching Renoir dab away at his canvas.
Creme Brulee' - basically translates to 'Burnt Cream' - a little trivia you can casually toss at your dinner guests to make you sound like you know stuff.
Serves 4-5
Degree of difficulty: Medium
You need:
300ml good cream
1 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
15ml caster sugar
for topping:
caster sugar
Method:
1) I'm trusting that you've sourced a fairly decent vanilla bean. Most good delicatessans sell them and if stuck you can check your local supermarket - though don't expect any miracles. Please don't use vanilla essence lest your fingers break out in sores that spread to your nether regions.
A good vanilla bean should be sticky and should smell pungent. If you've not used real vanilla before you're in for a pleasant surprise. You'll feel like you're only just discovering your sense of smell.
Take a knife and slit down the 'belly' of the bean exposing the black innards. With the back of the knife, scrape out the insides.
2) Whack the cream with the vanilla scrapings and the bean itself into a pan and heat - making sure it does not boil - stirring all the while. Remove the vanilla pod.
3) Set the oven to 150C.
4) Beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until the mixture starts to 'pale', stir in the warm cream (slowly - you don't want scrambled eggs).
5) Place the mixture in the top of a double saucepan or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, on a gentle heat. Stir all the time until the custard coats the back of the spoon.
6) Pour the custard into ramekins, place in a roasting pan half-filled with hot water, and bake for 12 minutes to create a good skin on top. Refrigerate overnight. On no account break the top skin.
7) Sprinkle the top of the custard with a 5mm even layer of caster sugar. To do this, stand the dish on a tray or large sheet of greaseproof paper, and sift the sugar over the dish.
8) My advice for the final and most dramatic part of the whole dish, is to get yourself a kitchen blow-torch.
These little puppies go for between $70 to $80 but are useful for more than just Brulee'. They can be used to crisp joints of meat, light cigarettes or as a home security device (DIY vasectomy anyone?).
Grab one from any good Kitchen Supply Store.
Fire up the blow-torch and in full view of your guests, run the flame over the surface of each ramekin. The sugar will melt and caramelise. Watch carefully, turning the custard if the sugar is browning unevenly.
Allow to cool completely before serving. The top should be hard and crackly.
Serve these up in their ramekins on large white plates for the full effect. For the Philistines in your party: advise them to crack the hardened caramel on top of the dessert with the back of their spoon. The crunchy caramel juxtaposed with the creamy, vanilla infused custard underneath is an orgasm for the palate.
P.S. As a variation, try adding a shot of espresso to the custard instead of vanilla. Serve in coffee cups instead of ramekins for a little added flair.
Nothing sexes up a dinner like dessert. End on a high note and even that lamb rack that you charred - to the extent that made the pagan gods take notice - will be forgotten. Excel at the end of a meal and that's generally what your victims will store away in their memories under '___insert your name here___, Cooking Skills Of'.
Creme Brulee' is an excellent way to fake cooking prowess. It's relatively easy, it's dramatic and - if done reasonably well - transports the dinner guest on a sensory journey...perhaps to the bank of the river Seine on a lazy Sunday afternoon whilst watching Renoir dab away at his canvas.
Serves 4-5
Degree of difficulty: Medium
You need:
300ml good cream
1 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
15ml caster sugar
for topping:
caster sugar
Method:
1) I'm trusting that you've sourced a fairly decent vanilla bean. Most good delicatessans sell them and if stuck you can check your local supermarket - though don't expect any miracles. Please don't use vanilla essence lest your fingers break out in sores that spread to your nether regions.
A good vanilla bean should be sticky and should smell pungent. If you've not used real vanilla before you're in for a pleasant surprise. You'll feel like you're only just discovering your sense of smell.
Take a knife and slit down the 'belly' of the bean exposing the black innards. With the back of the knife, scrape out the insides.
2) Whack the cream with the vanilla scrapings and the bean itself into a pan and heat - making sure it does not boil - stirring all the while. Remove the vanilla pod.
3) Set the oven to 150C.
4) Beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until the mixture starts to 'pale', stir in the warm cream (slowly - you don't want scrambled eggs).
5) Place the mixture in the top of a double saucepan or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, on a gentle heat. Stir all the time until the custard coats the back of the spoon.
6) Pour the custard into ramekins, place in a roasting pan half-filled with hot water, and bake for 12 minutes to create a good skin on top. Refrigerate overnight. On no account break the top skin.
7) Sprinkle the top of the custard with a 5mm even layer of caster sugar. To do this, stand the dish on a tray or large sheet of greaseproof paper, and sift the sugar over the dish.
8) My advice for the final and most dramatic part of the whole dish, is to get yourself a kitchen blow-torch.
These little puppies go for between $70 to $80 but are useful for more than just Brulee'. They can be used to crisp joints of meat, light cigarettes or as a home security device (DIY vasectomy anyone?).
Grab one from any good Kitchen Supply Store.
Fire up the blow-torch and in full view of your guests, run the flame over the surface of each ramekin. The sugar will melt and caramelise. Watch carefully, turning the custard if the sugar is browning unevenly.
Allow to cool completely before serving. The top should be hard and crackly.
Serve these up in their ramekins on large white plates for the full effect. For the Philistines in your party: advise them to crack the hardened caramel on top of the dessert with the back of their spoon. The crunchy caramel juxtaposed with the creamy, vanilla infused custard underneath is an orgasm for the palate.
P.S. As a variation, try adding a shot of espresso to the custard instead of vanilla. Serve in coffee cups instead of ramekins for a little added flair.
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Comment by Anonymous
Also good to use a well scented vanilla sugar for the topping and for the custard. - you will get a better/more vanillery taste. But make sure its 'proper' vanilla sugar - easy to make at home.
But its all about trying what works best for you and as always, there is variations to cooking.