Grandpa Joe's
Crème Brûlée

You will need a Chef's Torch for this one, but you will be guaranteed praise from your family and guests!

About this recipe

If we are to believe Wikipedia, the earliest known reference to Crème Brûlée appeared in 1691 in a cookbook authored by François Massialot, thus making it a rather old French dessert.  Old or not, Crème Brûlée (and its cousins Crème Caramel and Flan) always provides diners with a spectacular conclusion to almost any meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
  • sugar

Directions

  1. Mix the egg, egg yolks, and ½ cup of sugar together in a large bowl until just combined. 
  2. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan to 160° F. 
  3. Stirring constantly, slowly add the cream to the eggs.  Then add the vanilla and liqueur.
  4. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large container with a pouring spout.
  5. Pour the strained mixture into 6-ounce ramekins until they are nearly filled.
  6. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan.  Add boiling water to the roasting pan until the ramekins are half submerged.
  7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated 300° F oven, or until a paring knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge of the custards comes out clean.
  8. Remove the custards from the water bath to a cooling rack, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
  9. To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar on the top of each ramekin and heat with a Chef's Torch until the sugar caramelizes.
  10. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • One or two tablespoons of cherry, strawberry, caramel, or chocolate syrup are delicious alternatives to caramelized sugar for finishing this dessert – although you will probably need to give it a new name!
Posted: July 2014.