Tuesday, February 9, 2010

I Love You Berry Much Creme Brulee

Have I mentioned before how much I love rummaging, Truffle Pig style, thru the bins at the resale and antique stores that dot my neighborhood?  Every now and then I scout (er, snout?) out a dusty pair of Italian riding boots or an old printer drawer richly patina'd from a hundred inky hands.  Now that I am a food blogger (hurrah!) I'm more apt to linger in the housewares areas, too.  This is where I recently found this humble little heart ramekin.  Similar ones are available all over the place, of course, and I think everyone should have one.  Even if it isn't 60 cents (like mine, I gloat, I know).


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...

  1. Heat cream until barely simmering, then remove from heat
  2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar, stir until just blended
  3. Pour in cream gradually in a steady stream while stirring the mixture
  4. Strain mixture thru a fine mesh sieve into a bowl with a pouring spout to remove some of the viscous whites
  5. Prepare a large pan with a shallow water bath and set 4 - 6 (count) eight ounce ramekins in it
  6. Divide cream mixture between the ramekins and place in oven
  7. Turn oven to 250 degrees farenheight and bake 1 - 1/2 hours or until custard is still a little quivery but set
  8. Remove and cool, then wrap and refridgerate for at least 8 hours
  9. During this time, prepare raspberry sauce by combining all ingredients except "sprinkling sugar) in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil
  10. Cook on medium heat until water has taken on the color of the raspberries (about 5 minutes)
  11. Cool slightly and blend with immersion blender or food processor until smooth
  12. Set aside or store until custard is set
  13. Remove custard from refrigerator and spoon a thin, even layer of berry sauce on each
  14. Generously sprinkle an even layer of sugar on top of the berry sauce layer
  15. Fire up a hand torch, or your broiler and burn your sugar layer evenly until melted
  16. Allow to cool and turn smooth and glassy
  17. Serve!

25 comments:

  1. I don't know what I am more jealous of, the recipe or that freaking-adorable ramekin.

    Want!

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  2. aren't adorable little dishes the greatest? so is anything with raspberries.
    so delicious looking.

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  3. tasty... I'd make this with more raspbrry inside. For versimilitude.

    ...or cocoa, because I'm a scorpio. ;)

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  4. So nice, so delicious!

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  5. As 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

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  6. I love creme brulee and related puddings, pots de cremes, etc. Adding raspberry sounds tasty plus (and perhaps equally important) makes your dessert SO pretty.

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  7. I 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.

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  8. So pretty! I love it. now i want a blow torch

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  9. That'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.

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  10. Wow, this is a great idea. The colors are wonderful... but I agree with other commenters.... only 8 cookbooks??? Such self restraint is admirable!

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  11. this 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!

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  12. That is beautiful and sounds amazing. Congrats on being in the top 9 on Foodbuzz!

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  13. hoi mathea
    that's great you cook like a french !!! cheers from Paris Pierre

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  14. Great pics. Thanks for the sharing the recipe.

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  15. this 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

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  16. This 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!

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  17. Love 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.

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  18. With something purple, you just changed the whole world's perspective. Amazing! Love the pictures.

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  19. I want to badly to crack into that baby with the back of a spoon. And then scoop til I can't scoop no more!

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  20. looks AMAZING! what great pictures. i love the idea of berry creme brulee

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  21. The 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!

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  22. Ooh, that last little spoonful looks to die for!

    You 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...

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  23. Oh my goodness!! I would have been a very happy lady if I was presented with this dessert last weekend!

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  24. Mathea,

    I 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...

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Thanks for commenting - I'm always happy to hear from you!

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