Cardamom Creme Brulee Parfait With Candied Pumpkin Food

CARDAMOM CREME BRULEE PARFAIT WITH CANDIED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray.
• Mix 3/4 cup white sugar, egg yolks, egg, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed until well combined.
• Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it begins to bubble, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. Add cream to the egg mixture slowly, mixing on low speed. Pour custard into the prepared baking dish.
• Set the baking pan into a roasting pan; carefully pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the custard is set when gently shaken, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Remove baking pan from roasting pan. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, and cinnamon; stir to combine. Add frozen pumpkin and simmer, stirring often, until reduced, about 8 minutes. Cool candied pumpkin to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Cut custard into 18 squares using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Place 1 custard square in a serving dish, add a layer of candied pumpkin, and top with another square. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Use a kitchen torch to flame tops until deeply caramelized and a crunchy layer has formed.

ROSEMARY CREME BRULEE WITH VANILLA BEAN AND CARDAMOM

Steps:

• Place the cream, vanilla bean, and cardamom pod in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until pale and thick. Do not overcook.
• Remove the vanilla bean and the cardamom pods from the cream. Add the cream to the eggs in the double boiler, whisking constantly. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and rosemary. Pour the custard mixture into a porcelain dish and chill thoroughly.
• Just before serving, sprinkle the custard with remaining sugar and caramelize it with a kitchen torch. Fire quickly and evenly until the sugar is cooked but not burned. Put the creme brulee into the freezer for about 30 seconds and then serve immediately.

BANANA AND CARDAMOM CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the cardamom and bananas, mashing them a bit into the milk. Turn the heat to medium-high and when it comes to a boil, turn the heat off and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Leave to infuse for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until thick and pale. Strain the hot milk, and then slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into 4 shallow creme brulee dishes or ramekins, place in a baking pan large enough to accommodate them and pour enough water into the pan to come halfway up the dishes. Bake until set but still slightly jiggly, about 30 minutes. If they aren't done at this point, continue to check them every 5 minutes until they are set. Remove from the water bath and let cool slightly on the counter top. Put them in the refrigerator to finish cooling for about an hour.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar evenly on top of each creme brulee. Melt the sugar with a blowtorch, or alternatively place under a broiler until it has caramelized. Serve immediately.

CARDAMOM CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• In a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
• Place the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
• Warm just until little bubbles form around the edge.
• Remove from the heat and, whisking constantly, pour into the egg and sugar mixture.
• *caution* temper the egg's first. to do this pour a little bit of the mixture in first and mix it together, then pour in the rest of the mixture. Otherwise you might end up with scrambled eggs.
• Add the cardamom and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined.
• Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve into 6 crème brûlée dishes, filling them only half full.
• Place the dishes into a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them without crowding.
• Place the dish on the middle rack of oven.
• Working quickly to preserve the heat, finish filling the dishes with the custard mixture, making sure that it comes right to the top of each dish.
• Then carefully fill the baking dish with very hot tap water so it comes halfway up the sides of the filled dishes.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center.
• Remove the custards to a wire rack to cool.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to use.
• When ready to serve, preheat the broiler.
• Pass the brown sugar through a fine sieve to eliminate all lumps.
• Generously sprinkle the top of each chilled custard with an equal portion of the brown sugar, taking care to cover all of the custard, so that it gives an even finish.
• Place the chilled crème brûlée dishes under the preheated broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the tops are crackling brown.
• Remove from the broiler and serve immediately.
• Note: When I make this dish, I often grind the cardamom in a coffee grinder so that it picks up just a hint of coffee (in my kitchen, usually espresso) flavor.

CARDAMOM CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Note that you need to prepare these custards the day before you are serving them.
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• In a large roasting pan, place six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the 3/4 cup white sugar and the egg yolks together; then whisk in the cardamom.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a boil; then, s-l-o-w-l-y whisk the hot cream into the yolk mixture (you don't want to curdle the yolks).
• Pour this custard evenly into the 6 ramekins.
• Have ready a kettle full of hot water.
• Open oven door, partially pull out rack, place roasting pan on rack, then pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Carefully slide rack back into oven, close door, and bake until custards are set in centre, about 40 minutes.
• Remove ramekins from roasting pan and cool; refrigerate overnight.
• Anywhere from one to six hours before serving time, preheat your broiler.
• Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and sprinkle 1 tsp white sugar onto each one.
• Broil until sugar browns; watch closely, it only takes about 2 minutes.
• If your broiler does not provide even heat, rotate ramekins halfway during broiling.
• Chill custards in refrigerator at least 1 hour, and for as long as six hours, before serving.

CARDAMOM CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
• 2. In a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
• 3. Place the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Warm just until little bubbles form around the edge. Remove from the heat and, whisking constantly, pour into the egg and sugar mixture. Add the cardamom and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined.
• 4. Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve into 6 crème brûlée dishes, filling them only half full. Place the dishes into a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them withough crowding. Place the dish on the middle rack of oven. Working quickly to preserve the heat, finish filling the dishes with the custard mixture, making sure that it comes right to the top of each dish. Then carefully fill the baking dish with very hot tap water so it comes halfway up the sides of the filled dishes. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center.
• 5. Remove the custards to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to use.
• 6. When ready to serve, preheat the broiler.
• 7. Pass the brown sugar through a fine sieve to eliminate all lumps. Generously sprinkle the top of each chilled custard with an equal portion of the brown sugar, taking care to cover all of the custard, so that it gives an even finish. Place the chilled crème brûlée dishes under the preheated broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the tops are crackling brown. Remove from the broiler and serve immediately.
• Wine Suggestion:
• Royal Tokaji Red
• This quite sweet but well-balanced Tokaji is a stunning companion to this lightly spiced and very rich dessert.