Blackberry Creme Brulee Food

THE BEST CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Line a large heavy roasting pan (a turkey roasting pan works great) with a clean kitchen towel and place 4 six-ounce ramekins on top of the towel spaced a few inches apart.
• Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Using the back of a paring knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from both halves of the pod. Add the seeds and pod to the cream. Whisk in the salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• Vigorously whisk the yolks and 3 more tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer on high speed and beat until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Whisking the yolks constantly, add a couple of teaspoons at a time from 1 cup of the hot cream, then increase to a steady stream until the cream is fully incorporated. (Don't pour too much hot cream at once or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.) The yolks are now tempered. Whisk the tempered yolks back into the remaining hot cream until combined. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or medium pitcher for easier pouring; discard the vanilla pods.
• Skim the foam off the top of the custard by placing a clean paper towel on top and lightly pressing down so it touches the surface and absorbs some of the liquid. This will make for a completely smooth and silky custard. Fill the ramekins with the custard, about 3/4 cup per ramekin.
• Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins without getting any water in the custard. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the custard is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center, 35 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate until very cold, about 3 hours.
• Just before serving, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the top of a custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above the surface. Starting in the center of the ramekin, move the flame in a circular motion and work your way out to the edges to caramelize the sugar. Repeat with the remaining sugar and custards.
• Alternatively, arrange a rack in the top position of the oven and heat the broiler on high. Place the ramekins on a rack set inside a baking sheet and broil until deep golden brown, 15 to 60 seconds, checking every 10 seconds.
• Freeze the custards for 5 minutes before serving (see Cook's Note).

PISTACHIO CREME BRULEE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Whisk together the cream and pistachio paste in a large saucepot, and then scrape and add the vanilla bean and the pistachios. Steep over medium-low heat 20 minutes, and then remove from the heat.
• Whisk together 1 cup of the sugar and the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the warm cream to the yolks and whisk quickly to temper the egg mixture. Add in the remaining cream, a little at a time, whisking constantly. When all of the cream has been incorporated, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl.
• Place 4 creme brulee ramekins into a 2-inch-deep baking pan. Evenly divide the custard between the ramekins, filling to the top. Carefully add the boiling water into the pan until it is halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Carefully (so no water gets in the custard) place the baking pan into the oven and bake until the custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the ramekins from the water bath and refrigerate.
• Combine the blackberries, mint, pomegranate seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl, and let sit 10 minutes.
• When the custards have cooled, sprinkle the tops with sugar and brulee with a torch until the sugar caramelizes. Garnish with the blackberry-pomegranate mixture and serve immediately.

BALSAMIC-BLACKBERRY CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Put the blackberries and sprinkle with the vinegar. Let stand for 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the berries for garnish. Divide the remaining berries among six standard-size flan dishes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt and sour cream and divide the mixture among the dishes. Drizzle with the honey. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, place the dishes on a baking sheet and evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown or turbinado sugar over each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, caramelize the sugar (see note below). Garnish the top of the caramelized sugar with the reserved blackberries.

BLACKBERRY CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a saucepan, combine cream and half of the sugar; heat over medium heat until steaming. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, eggs and egg yolks until pale. Gradually whisk in heated cream mixture in a slow steady stream; whisk in vanilla.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup wih a pouring spout. Place blackberries evenly in bottom of six 3/4 cup, or 8 1/2 cup ramekins, or crème brûlée dishes. Pour cream mixture evenly over top.
• Set ramekins in a roasting pan and place pan in oven. Pour in enough boiling water to come to three quarters up sides of ramekins.Bake for 35-40 minutes until tops are firm and center is still slightly jiggly.
• Let cool on rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until chlled, or for up to 2 days.
• TOPPING: Just before serving, preheat broiler, if using. Blot tops of custards, dry with paper towel. Sprinkle evenly with a thin layer of sugar, adding more if required. Broil on a baking sheet, rotating ramekins if necessary, or use a torch until sugar is bubbling and caramelized. Let cool for 3 minutes.
• COOKING TOP: Fresh berries work best for rhis recipe. Frozen berries are too soft and rhe custard won't set properly. Rinse fresh berries and pat dry with paper towel just before serving.
• VARIATION: Instead of sprinkling the tops with sugar and browning them, make a caramel syrup topping instead. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, without stirring, until syrup turns a deep caramel colour. Let cool until bubbles subside; pour a thin layer onto custards and let harden.

LEMON CRèME BRûLéE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange eight 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine cream and lemon peel in heavy small saucepan and bring to simmer. Whisk sugar and yolks in large bowl until thick, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture, then vanilla and salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Strain custard, then divide among cups. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
• Bake custards until just set in center, about 55 minutes. Remove custards from water bath; chill uncovered until firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat broiler. Place custard cups on baking sheet. Strain brown sugar through small sieve onto custards, dividing equally. Broil until sugar melts and browns, about 2 minutes. Chill until topping is hard and crisp, at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
• Combine raspberries and liqueur in bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Spoon berry mixture atop custards.

CRèME BRûLéE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: In a food processor, blend the flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt on high for 5 seconds to combine. Open the lid and scatter the cubes of butter evenly across the top, reattach the lid, and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas or a little larger. Drizzle in 5 tablespoons of the water through the lid while continuing to pulse. If the mixture is still dry, drizzle in more water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time and stopping once the dough is properly moist. Check as you go by pinching the mixture between your fingertips: It should look crumbly but it should hold together when you squeeze it. You should be able to compress it without it sticking too much to your fingers.
• Set a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and dump the dough into the center of it. Wrap it up tightly and compress the dough into a flat, smooth disk. Refrigerate the disk at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, quickly roll the dough out into an even 13-inch round, making sure to occasionally turn, flip and lightly dust the dough and rolling pin as you go. Carefully transfer the crust to a 9-inch glass pie plate, making sure not to stretch it as you nestle it into the corners of the plate.
• Using scissors, trim away the rough edges of the dough and tuck the remaining overhang under itself to create a thicker edge that rests on the rim of the pan. Crimp the edges using your fingertips or the tines of a fork, then place the entire plate in the freezer for another 30 minutes to harden.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the crust from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment on top of the pie crust, making sure it extends far beyond the edges of the pie, and top the paper with pie weights or uncooked beans. Bake for 30 minutes before removing the weights and parchment, and then bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until the bottom is light golden brown. Transfer the pie crust in its pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
• While the pie crust cools, heat the oven to 300 degrees and prepare the filling: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, salt and nutmeg, and beat on high speed for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. The mixture will be very pale and have a marshmallow-like consistency. Reduce the speed to medium, and with the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, beating until completely combined.
• Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the pie is set around the edges and jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes before placing in the fridge, uncovered, to chill overnight (or at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days).
• When ready to serve, heat the oven to broil and place a rack 3 to 4 inches away from the heat source. Remove the pie from the fridge and using a sheet of aluminum foil and a pair of scissors, cut a hole out of the center of the foil to create a frame that will expose the filling of the pie but covers the crust. Secure it firmly so it's hugging the crust and sides of the plate. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar over the filling, and place the pie directly under the broiler for 3 to 6 minutes, watching closely and rotating the pan and foil as needed, until the sugar begins to bubble and burn all over.
• Remove from the oven, allow 3 to 5 minutes to cool so the sugar can harden, then gently tap the surface with a knife to break up the sheet of sugar around the areas you intend to cut. Slice and serve immediately, before the sugar softens. More delicate than custard pies, the filling will be loose and wobbly like crème brûlée.

ULTIMATE CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sit four 175ml ramekins in a deep roasting tin at least 7.5cm deep (or a large deep cake tin), one that will enable a baking tray to sit well above the ramekins when laid across the top of the tin.
• Pour the large and small cartons of double cream into a medium pan with the milk.
• Lay the vanilla pod on a board and slice lengthways through the middle with a sharp knife to split it in two. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla pod in as well, and set aside.
• Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for 1 min with an electric hand whisk until paler in colour and a bit fluffy.
• Put the pan with the cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear round the edge, take the pan off the heat.
• Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a wire whisk as you do so, and scraping out the seeds from the pan.
• Set a fine sieve over a large wide jug or bowl and pour the hot mixture through to strain it, encouraging any stray vanilla seeds through at the end.
• Using a big spoon, scoop off all the pale foam that is sitting on the top of the liquid (this will be several spoonfuls) and discard. Give the mixture a stir.
• Pour in enough hot water (from the tap) into the roasting tin to come about 1.5cm up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins so you fill them up right to the top - it's easier to spoon in the last little bit.
• Put them in the oven and lay a baking sheet over the top of the tin so it sits well above the ramekins and completely covers them, but not the whole tin, leaving a small gap at one side to allow air to circulate.
• Bake for 30-35 mins until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the roasting tin and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle. Don't let them get too firm.
• Lift the ramekins out of the roasting tin with oven gloves and set them on a wire rack to cool for a couple of minutes only, then put in the fridge to cool completely. This can be done overnight without affecting the texture.
• When ready to serve, wipe round the top edge of the dishes, sprinkle 1½ tsp of caster sugar over each ramekin and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover.
• Spray with a little water using a fine spray (the sort you buy in a craft shop) to just dampen the sugar - then use a blow torch to caramelise it. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep moving it round and round until caramelised. Serve when the brûlée is firm, or within an hour or two.

CHOCOLATE AND BLACKBERRY TART CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• 1. Line crust with foil or wax paper and fill with beans or rice to keep crust from puffing up. Bake crust 8-10 mins in 400 degree oven.Remove foil and beans and continue baking for about 12 mins till golden brown.Cool In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks,sugar, cream, sour cream and vanilla.Transfer to the top of a double boiler or a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook stirring constantly till custard thickens, about 30 mins. When custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from heat and strain into a large clean bowl.The custard will thicken as it cools.Keep custard chilled until ready to use. Melt chocolate and spread over the baked crust.Cover with berries.Top with cooled custard, smoothing with back of a spoon. When ready to serve sift sugar over entire top. With a little propane torch....Yes!! I have one and love it.....melt the sugar . It can be done under a broiler too although I have never done my Brulee this way. Chill a few minutes before serving.
• 2. Serve with fresh blackberries on the side.