Balsamic Berries BrulÉe Food

STRAWBERRIES WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Thirty minutes to an hour before serving, combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.
• Place a serving of the strawberries in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream on top and dust lightly with lemon zest.

SIMPLE VANILLA CREME BRULEE WITH BERRY COULIS

Steps:

• For the creme brulee: Arrange an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Place four 6-ounce ramekins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a kettle or saucepan with water to a boil.
• Bring the heavy cream to a light simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk the sugar, salt and egg yolks in a large bowl or measuring cup. Slowly pour the hot cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Pour or ladle the custard evenly into the ramekins. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to come two-thirds of the way up the ramekins, making sure to keep the water out of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set and firm when shaken, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the custards and let cool to room temperature on a rack, then chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• For the berry coulis: Add the berries, sugar, lemon zest and juice and mint to a food processor and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar over a custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar by keeping the flame close to the sugar but moving it constantly to get an even color. Repeat with the remaining custards. Alternatively, sprinkle sugar over all the custards and place on a baking sheet under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler.
• Serve immediately with the berry coulis, a few fresh berries and a sprig of mint on top!

BERRY BRûLéE

Steps:

• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream and 1 teaspoon sugar until soft peaks form.
• Combine berries and whipped cream in a heat safe dish (I used a pie plate).
• Working with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, sprinkle a layer of sugar over the berries and then caramelize with a kitchen torch, using a back and forth motion. Work with one section of the dish at a time: sprinkle sugar, caramelize that sugar, then repeat both steps in another area, until the whole thing is done. Place the dish in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the sugar to harden. Serve immediately on its own or alongside pound cake or angel food cake.

BALSAMIC BLUEBERRIES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Tip the blueberries into a pan with the sugar, vinegar and 1 tbsp water. Heat very gently for 1-2 mins until the berries soften, but don't burst. Set aside until ready to serve. Spoon over the ice cream and eat with crisp biscuits.

SUMMER BERRY BRULéE

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to pack instructions. Drain and cool. Divide the fruit between 6 x 150ml ramekin dishes, drizzle the cassis over and set to one side.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and put in a pan with the cream and the empty pod. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave for 5 mins. Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl.
• Stir the cream into the egg. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
• Stir the cooked rice into the custard mixture. Ladle into the ramekins and leave in the fridge for 6 hrs.
• Sprinkle sugar over the tops and caramelise with a blow torch or under a very hot grill until it turns dark brown. Let it cool and harden before serving.

SUMMER BERRY BRULEE

Steps:

• Toss to combine Berries with sugar (sweetener), vinegar and orange peel.
• Transfer to a 4-cup (2L) casserole or heat-proof bowl.
• Reserve in the referigertor for up to 6 hours.
• When ready to prepare dessert, transfer fruit to 8 (glass) dessert dishes.
• Whip cream until very thick.
• Fold in sour cream.
• Spread evenly over the fruit.
• Brulee Topping: Stir 1/2c Sugar (sweetener) with 1/4c water in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and cook, WITHOUT STIRRING, for 8 to 10 minutes or until amber in colour.
• Remove from heat and drizzle over cream layer while still hot; serve immediately.