Creme Brulee Coated Almonds Food

ALMOND CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Heat cream in a heavy saucepan.
• Add granulated sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Beat egg yolks until light and creamy.
• Add t he hot cream to the egg yolks gradually, whipping constantly with a wire whisk (not an electric beater). Stir in remaining ingredients except the brown sugar.
• Pour into a 6-cup souffle dish, and sprinkle brown sugar on top.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or until custard tests done. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : This is not for anyone on a low cal, low fat, or low cholesterol diet.

MACARONS CREME BRULEE (CREME BRULEE FRENCH ALMOND MACAROONS)

Steps:

• One hour before starting, take the egg whites out of the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celcuis.
• Mix the icing sugar, caster sugar and ground almonds in a blender until they form a fine powder.
• Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of caster (superfine) sugar until they form soft peaks, then when it begins to look 'moussey' (not sure how to translate "commence a mousser"), add 20g of sugar and whisk until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
• Tip the egg white mixture into the almond mixture and and fold (the recipes says "macaronnez", I don't think that's translatable!) together using a spatula until they form a smooth paste but be careful not to let them become liquidy.
• Using a 8mm piping bag, pipe little mounds (about 60) of the mixture on a greased baking sheet, spacing them about 3-4cm apart.
• Leave in the oven for 12-14 minutes, being careful not to let them brown too much. After that time, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool before decorating. Turn the oven down to 90 degrees Celcius.
• While they're cooling, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until they become pale.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the cream with the vanilla until it thickens slightly, then tip it into the egg yolk mixture. Mix together gently so it doesn't turn into a mousse.
• Pour the creme into a greased flan or pie dish measuring about 18cm (7-8 inches) and place in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. After that time, leave it to cool for an hour, then place it in the fridge to set for at least four hours.
• When you're ready to serve (finally!), take the creme out of the fridge and stamp out discs the same size as the macaroons, and place on the flat side of one macaroon. Sprinkle with demerera sugar and caramelize using a blow torch, then place on a small tea plate, placing another macaroon flat side down on one edge as a 'lid' to make 30 macaroons.
• I promise you it's worth the effort! They look really impressive, but it made me realize how hard French patissiers must work.

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Prepare oven and baking dishes: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Place eight 5-ounce baking dishes in a large roasting pan.
• Gently heat cream: In a medium saucepan, combine cream and half the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons). Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pan, then add pod. Heat over medium just until mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, 7 to 8 minutes (do not let boil).
• Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with remaining sugar and the salt.
• Temper eggs: Use ladle to pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. (This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add two more ladles of cream mixture, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Gradually whisk in remaining cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup (to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits of egg).
• Bake: Divide custard evenly among baking dishes. Place pan in oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake until custards are just set (they should tremble slightly in center when shaken), 30 to 40 minutes.
• Chill: Remove pan from oven. Use tongs to carefully remove dishes from hot-water bath and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving. The custard will finish setting in the refrigerator. If you like, transfer the custards to the freezer 15 minutes before serving to ensure they stay cold after being bruleed (this is especially important if using the broiler).
• Caramelize tops and serve: Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar over each custard. Working with one at a time, pass the flame of the torch in a circular motion 1 to 2 inches above the surface of each custard until the sugar bubbles, turns amber, and forms a smooth surface. Serve immediately.