It's obvious what needed to go into my little heart was a creme brulee. Though I'm not a terribly prolific baker, for some reason I've made more creme brulee than anyone I know. My guess for why I have continually made it is that it turned out very well on my first attempt, therefore giving me encouragement and a somewhat false sense that the Creme Brulee Gods smile on me with approval. With the glow of confidence, I blossom, and have turned out generations of perfectly creamy custards with the quintessential "Amelie" burnt sugar tops.
I use a recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking, which is one of the only cookbooks I own. I add orange blossom water to brighten it and make it my own. I decided for the occassion of the ramekin find I'd also play with a raspberry glaze. It's easy, consistent and I tend to agree with Irma when she says it's "the most sumptuous we have ever tasted".
Recipe: Raspberry Glazed Creme Brulee (adapted from the Joy of Cooking)
What you need to get...
For the "creme"
2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional, but nice)
1/2 cup sugar
For the raspberry glaze
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar plus enough to sprinkle over tops
The juice of 1/2 a lemon
Water to cover
What to do with it all...
- Heat cream until barely simmering, then remove from heat
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar, stir until just blended
- Pour in cream gradually in a steady stream while stirring the mixture
- Strain mixture thru a fine mesh sieve into a bowl with a pouring spout to remove some of the viscous whites
- Prepare a large pan with a shallow water bath and set 4 - 6 (count) eight ounce ramekins in it
- Divide cream mixture between the ramekins and place in oven
- Turn oven to 250 degrees farenheight and bake 1 - 1/2 hours or until custard is still a little quivery but set
- Remove and cool, then wrap and refridgerate for at least 8 hours
- During this time, prepare raspberry sauce by combining all ingredients except "sprinkling sugar) in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil
- Cook on medium heat until water has taken on the color of the raspberries (about 5 minutes)
- Cool slightly and blend with immersion blender or food processor until smooth
- Set aside or store until custard is set
- Remove custard from refrigerator and spoon a thin, even layer of berry sauce on each
- Generously sprinkle an even layer of sugar on top of the berry sauce layer
- Fire up a hand torch, or your broiler and burn your sugar layer evenly until melted
- Allow to cool and turn smooth and glassy
- Serve!
I don't know what I am more jealous of, the recipe or that freaking-adorable ramekin.
ReplyDeleteWant!
aren't adorable little dishes the greatest? so is anything with raspberries.
ReplyDeleteso delicious looking.
tasty... I'd make this with more raspbrry inside. For versimilitude.
ReplyDelete...or cocoa, because I'm a scorpio. ;)
So nice, so delicious!
ReplyDeleteAs long as you've got the Joy of Cooking you will NEVER be at a loss - that book should be every kitchen's bible! This recipe looks and sounds divine! ~Mary
ReplyDeleteI love creme brulee and related puddings, pots de cremes, etc. Adding raspberry sounds tasty plus (and perhaps equally important) makes your dessert SO pretty.
ReplyDeleteI need this! And a blow torch. How come you don't own many cook books, but do own a blow torch? I didn't think Jason was a welder.
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! I love it. now i want a blow torch
ReplyDeleteThat's it?! Really, just 8 cookbooks? My cookbook collection wouldn't fit in one picture...doesn't even fit in one room (that's right, they've spilled over into living room storage). Love the ramekin - jealous.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a great idea. The colors are wonderful... but I agree with other commenters.... only 8 cookbooks??? Such self restraint is admirable!
ReplyDeletethis looks fantastic and I will have to try some different fruit glazes with my creme brluees - I have been making brulees of different flavors a lot on my blog in the last month or so, so I was quite excited to see your post. Looks great!
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful and sounds amazing. Congrats on being in the top 9 on Foodbuzz!
ReplyDeletehoi mathea
ReplyDeletethat's great you cook like a french !!! cheers from Paris Pierre
Great pics. Thanks for the sharing the recipe.
ReplyDeletethis is adorable. i have never made creme brulee before because i dont own a blowtorch! maybe it is time to get one and do a lovely creme brulee like yours. i own far fewer cookbooks than you! my mom has an extensive collection though which of course would be mine soon! hahahaha
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome... I need me a blowtorch (not just to caramelize delicious desserts but also to 1. Burn things and 2. Look cool.) Those ramekins are so cute!
ReplyDeleteLove the photo -- FIRE, hehehehe, FIRE! It really does make things taste better, no? We always do creme brulee for Valentine's Day because it's so delicious. I'm changing things up this year but I still may use the torch because, well, FIRE.
ReplyDeleteWith something purple, you just changed the whole world's perspective. Amazing! Love the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI want to badly to crack into that baby with the back of a spoon. And then scoop til I can't scoop no more!
ReplyDeletelooks AMAZING! what great pictures. i love the idea of berry creme brulee
ReplyDeleteThe raspberry was such a nice addition! I love making coconut creme brulee and adding fresh berries on top. I love the idea of a fruit layer beneath the crispy top!
ReplyDeleteOoh, that last little spoonful looks to die for!
ReplyDeleteYou may not have a lot of cookbooks, but I can see from the titles that you have some good ones.
ps: you must give yourself more credit in the baking dept. You've posted many a tasty looking baked good on your blog in the past!
pps: Jealous of your 60 cent heart ramekin...
Oh my goodness!! I would have been a very happy lady if I was presented with this dessert last weekend!
ReplyDeleteMathea,
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I told you but in the spirit of "Julie and Julia" the film, I tried one of your recipes and blogged about it last week on both of my blogs Stroke of Living and Essential Bindi. It was a hit in my house :-)
Looking forward to more...
Creme brulee a go go!
ReplyDelete