Creme Brulee again

Thursday, March 19, 2009

I made creme brulee for the first time a few months ago. Hubby loved it. I hate using water baths and I wanted to try Dorie’s recipe. We both agreed that we like this recipe much better than the other one. And it’s so nice not having to use a water bath! This treat really is too easy to make. It’s dangerous. Especially when I have leftover egg yolks from making Swiss meringue buttercream… Next, I’d like to experiment with some different flavors of creme brulee.

I converted Dorie’s recipe (seen here from when the TWD group did it) to make 4 servings instead of 6. Here are the measurements I used:
13 Tbsp + 1 tsp heavy cream
1/3 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/3 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp sugar for topping

The link above is broken, so here is the recipe from Dorie:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

About 6 tbsp sugar or sifted light brown sugar for topping

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 200F. Put the baking dishes on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Bring the cream and milk just to a boil.
In a 1-2 quart glass measuring cup or in a medium bowl, whisk th egg yolks, sugar and vanilla together until well blended but not airy. Still whisking, drizzle in about one quarter or the hot liquid – this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the cream and milk. Give the bowl a good rap against the counter to de-bubble the custard, then strain it into the baking dishes.

Bake the custards for 50-60 minutes, or until the custards are set – tap the sides of the dishes, and the custards should hold firm. Lift the dishes onto a cooling rack and let the custards cool until they reach room temperature.

Cover each custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably longer. (The custards can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) For the sugar to be successfully caramelized, the custards need to be thoroughly chilled.

To caramelize the sugar topping with a blowtorch, work on one dish at a time. Sprinkle the top of each custard evenly with sugar – about 1 tablespoon for each dish – then brown the sugar, cooking until it bubbles and colors. Wait until the bubbles subside before serving the crèmes.

To caramelize the sugar in a broiler, preaheat the broiler and fill a shallow roasting pan with the ice cubes. Sprinkle the custards with the sugar, put the baking dishes on the bed of ice and run the custards under the broiler. Don’t move away from your oven – depending on your broiler, it can take seconds or minutes to caramelize the sugar, and you don’t want to miss the moment and ruin the topping. When the sugar bubbles and browns, pull the custards out, remove them from their ice bed and let them settle down before serving.

Dessert, Family Favorites, Other

1 comment »

38 Responses to “What’s your secret?”

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1

BMK — January 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Those are adorable! I love the idea of lemon meringue cupcakes.
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~Amber~ — January 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm

They are adorable!! Great job and I am glad you had success with the recipe.
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Shawnda — January 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm

Congrats on a successful challenge!
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4

slush — January 28, 2008 at 3:03 pm

OMG, are they cute! Like little porcupines. So glad it turned out for you. Fab job!
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5

Aparna — January 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I really liked your idea of making the cupcakes. No cutting up and great single sized servings. They look just great.
Makes me wonder– why didn’t I think of that?
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6

Tempered Woman — January 28, 2008 at 3:36 pm

Hey~ I made lemon maringue cuppies too! I am so sold on making pies this way in the future- very fun. Love the spikies- great job.
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Nikki57 — January 28, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Your LMP looks great! I love the cuppies
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CB — January 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm

LMP cuppys rule! ::high five:: love all the pictures of your process… great job!
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Marye — January 28, 2008 at 5:29 pm

I really like the little pies everyone is making..now I want to redo mine.blessings,
marye
http://bakingdelights.com
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michelle — January 28, 2008 at 7:15 pm

Oh so cute! I had considered trying my second attempt in a cupcake tin… until I waited until the last minute, that is! 🙂
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ruthEbabes — January 28, 2008 at 9:27 pm

Congrats! These look fabulously divine!
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Butta Buns — January 28, 2008 at 9:40 pm

Ah ha, another fellow Boston baker! Your tarts are beautiful! Love the peaks on the meringue!
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How To Eat A Cupcake — January 28, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Those are so perfect!

PS: I have those red measuring bowls. I love them! 😀
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I(dot)J — January 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm

so SMART to have all of your ingredients out FIRST. I really should know this by now.
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Dolores — January 29, 2008 at 1:52 am

Ooooh, I love your cupcake-pies. How’d you make the meringue spikey?

And what did the husband think of the final product?
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16

breadchick — January 29, 2008 at 2:00 am

your little ones are adorable. Great job on your challenge!!
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MrsPresley — January 29, 2008 at 2:35 am

your lemon meringue cupcakes are so cute! job well done! 🙂
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Beth G. — January 29, 2008 at 2:36 am

They’re so cute!! Great job!! :O)
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kate — January 29, 2008 at 2:54 am

i had that crust shrinkage problem too. it’s a bummer.

———-
kate
http://www.thecleanplateclub.net
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20

Jen — January 29, 2008 at 2:58 am

Dolores – I just spread the meringue around and then using a spatula, pressed it into the meringue and pulled it out and voila! Spikes!
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21

Andrea — January 29, 2008 at 3:06 am

Your little cupcakes are adorable! That was a great idea!
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22

Princess of the kitchen — January 29, 2008 at 7:32 am

Your little tarts lok just lovely. well done!
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23

Big Boys Oven — January 29, 2008 at 8:31 am

a challenge executed incrediblely well!
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Deborah — January 29, 2008 at 3:54 pm

They look just perfect!!
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25

Candace — January 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm

Nice job!
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Megan — January 29, 2008 at 7:34 pm

Too cute! Love the cupcakes. I want one!
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Carrie — January 30, 2008 at 12:02 am

My crust did the same thing! Your cupcakes look great though!
~Carrie from bakersbakery.wordpress.com
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Lane — January 30, 2008 at 6:35 am

Your “pie-cups” look perfect. Great job!

Jane of VeganBits.com
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Lunch Buckets — January 30, 2008 at 6:48 am

Very cute! Did you turn away and silently mock your husband “my mom makes a great…”, no of course you wouldn’t have, I must be projecting 🙂
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Sheltie Girl — January 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm

You did a wonderful job on your lemon meringue tarts!

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

~ We’re lactose intolerant at our house too.
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31

Quellia — January 30, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Nice cupcakes! And if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been a DB’er for a year and friends and family, all non-bloggers, always know what I’m making. They kinda have to since I always tape the recipe up on the kitchen cupboards!
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32

creampuff — January 30, 2008 at 8:52 pm

Yayy! I love reading success posts like this! They look great and that’s a good idea to bake them in muffin tins. Well done!
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BrineS — January 31, 2008 at 7:22 am

I love your little lemon meringues!
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Jen Yu — January 31, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Awesome! I love how differently everyone’s turned out, but these little cuties are so adorable 🙂 Great job!!
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Claire — February 1, 2008 at 1:34 am

So cute! I’m sure everyone enjoyed you addition to the spread!
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Jigginjessica — February 2, 2008 at 4:31 pm

I love cupcake idea. One big pie seems so messy, these seem neat and tidy. Congrats on another successful challenge!
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Jelli Bean — August 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm

The shrinking crust always affects my mini cupcake pies too. The trick is to make them overhang the cups enough so that they shrink down to just the right size. Your little pies are darling!
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