Butterscotch Crème Brûlée With Pink Peppercorn Whipped Cream And White Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn Food

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Make the butterscotch: melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and the salt can cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook until the mixture breaks apart and then comes together again and just begins to smoke.
• Immediately pour in the heavy cream. It will bubble and spit, so be careful, and the mixture may harden up. Just keep stirring over medium-low heat until all the butterscotch melts back into the cream.
• Whisking constantly, temper the butterscotch mixture into the egg yolks.
• Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract.
• (Optional Step)For creamiest results, refrigerate the custard overnight.
• Preheat oven to 275F. Place a tea towel in the bottom of a half-sheet pan, folding the edges in so they don't hang over the rim of the pan. Bring a quart of water to a boil.
• Strain custard through a fine mesh strainer into a spouted measuring cup.
• Divide the custard evenly among four 5oz ramekins. Pass the flame of your kitchen torch over the surface of the custard to pop any bubbles.
• Place the filled ramekins on the tray and put the tray in the oven.
• Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Take care not to splash any water into the custard.
• Bake until custards are set around the edges and still a little jiggly in the centers, about 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven.
• Remove the ramekins to a cooling rack. I use silicone tongs to grab them by the handles, leaving the water bath in the oven to clean up after it has cooled off.
• Once the custards have cooled, chill for at least 2 hours. Cover once they have reached refrigerator temperature.
• When ready to serve, remove the custards from the fridge. If there is any condensation on the surfaces, use the corner of a paper towel to wick it away.
• Pour a generous spoonful of either dark brown or granulated sugar onto each custard. If using granulated sugar, tilt the ramekins to completely cover the tops of the custard. Pour off any excess sugar. If using dark brown sugar, use your fingers or an offset spatula to carefully spread a thin, even layer of sugar over each custard.
• Use your kitchen torch to first melt and then evenly (as evenly as possible, anyway) caramelize the sugar.
• Allow to cool off for maybe 1 1/2 minutes before serving. This allows the caramel to harden into a lovely sheet of edible glass. Use the side of your spoon to crack through and enjoy.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the insides. Heat heavy cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean (all of it, including the husk) on medium-high until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar together with butterscotch liqueur. Gradually stream some of the hot cream and vanilla mixture into the bowl while constantly stirring. Keep stirring to keep egg from scrambling. Continue until both mixtures are fully incorporated.
• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer and equally divide between 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a deep baking pan. Add enough water to come to halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes, until the surface is set but still trembling when shaken.
• Allow to cool slightly, then move to refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• When ready to finish, remove from refrigerator and place at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Distribute 1 tablespoon of sugar on the surface of each ramekin. Gently rotate and tap the sides of each ramekin if necessary.
• Using a brulee torch set to the highest setting, gradually melt the sugar on the surface of each ramekin. The sugar will bead up and turn to liquid form; move the torch to another area if the sugar starts to blacken. Some blackening is desirable. After going over the surface, some unmelted sugar will remain. Go back over these areas with the torch until they're melted, but stop if it turns black.
• Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush pie crust lightly with egg white to seal. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until light brown and crisp. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and salt; set aside. In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, scald the milk while stirring with a whisk. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened; remove from heat.
• Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Stir in 1/3 of the milk mixture, whisking constantly, to temper the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture back into the pan. Return to the stove and cook, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour into baked pie crust.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, covering completely.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown in spots.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE WITH CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, brown sugar and salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar melts and small bubbles appear around the rim. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted. Add the 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons of vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture, then strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl.
• Set eight 1/2-cup ramekins in a roasting pan. Pour the custard into the ramekins and add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the creme brulees are set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Uncover and let cool in the pan. Then refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 5 hours.
• Set the ramekins in the freezer for 20 minutes, until icy cold. Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Place 4 of the ramekins in a baking pan and fill it with ice. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar evenly over each of the creme brulees and broil for about 1 minute, until the tops are carmalized. Remove the creme brulees from the ice water and refrigerate just until chilled, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining creme brulees. Alternatively, caramelize the sugar with a propane or bruleee torch. Top the creme brulees with the caramel corn and serve.
• Carmel Corn:.
• Active: 15 minutes; Total: 45 minutes.
• Makes 3 1/2 cups.
• Line a large baking sheet pan with lightly buttered parchment paper or foil. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water and bring to a boil. Wash down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush. Cook the syrup over moderate heat without stirring, until a medium amber caramel color forms, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the butter and salt until melted. Add the popcorn and peanuts and carefully stir to coat all the pieces. Pour the caramel corn onto the buttered sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Drizzle any remaining caramel on top. Let cool for 30 minutes, then break the caramel corn into pieces.

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE II

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, milk, corn syrup and butter. Warm over low heat until smooth and butter is melted. Do not boil.