Creme Brulee Julia Childs Food

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

JULIA CHILD'S CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the syrup turns a light caramel color. Remove the saucepan from the heat and dip the bottom into cold water to stop the cooking. Pour the caramel into a 4-cup charlotte mold, and tilt so that it covers the bottoms and sides. Let cool.
• In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil. In a heatproof bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and cup sugar until blended. Whisking constantly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture; let rest for a few minutes, then strain. Pour the custard into the caramel-coated mold.
• Put the mold in a small but deep baking or roasting pan, and add hot water to come about two-thirds up the sides of the mold. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer. Transfer the pan to the oven. (The water should stay at a low simmer at all times; do not let it boil or the custard will overcook.) Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Keep the custard in the baking pan until the water cools. Remove from the pan to finish cooling. To serve, run the tip of a knife around the top of the custard to loosen it. Invert a serving platter over the mold and quickly turn it over again. Carefully remove the mold.

CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In 13x9-inch pan, place 4 (6-oz) ceramic ramekins. In small bowl, slightly beat egg yolks with wire whisk. In large bowl, stir whipping cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla until well mixed. Add egg yolks; beat with wire whisk until evenly colored and well blended. Pour cream mixture evenly into ramekins.
• Carefully place pan with ramekins in oven. Pour enough boiling water into pan, being careful not to splash water into ramekins, until water covers two-thirds of the height of the ramekins.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until top is light golden brown and sides are set (centers will be jiggly).
• Using tongs or grasping tops of ramekins with pot holder, carefully transfer ramekins to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• Uncover ramekins; gently blot any liquid from tops of custards with paper towel. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons granulated sugar over each chilled custard. Holding kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from custard, caramelize sugar on each custard by heating with torch about 2 minutes, moving flame continuously over sugar in circular motion, until sugar is melted and light golden brown. (To caramelize sugar in the broiler, see Broiler Directions below.) Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.

CREME BRULEE (JULIA CHILDS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour cream into saucepan. Add vanilla and orange zest. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat, cover pan and let stand 5 minutes. Whish yolks and sugar until thick, pale yellow. Stir egg mixture by dribbles half a cup at a time into yolk mixture. Pour throug seive. Fill ramekins - 1/4 inch from top. Arrange in baking pan and set in oven. Pour in enoug water to come halfway up the ramekins.
• Bake 30-35 minutes until tops are set but center in soft to touch. Cool briefly then chill thoroughly (minimum 4 hours). Sprinkle with suge and use torch to carmelize.

JULIA CHILD'S CASSEROLE-SAUTEED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Dry the pork chops on paper towels.
• Heat the fat or oil in the casserole until it is moderately hot, then brown the chops, 2 or 3 at a time, on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. As they are browned transfer them to a side dish.
• Season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoons thyme if they have not been previously marinated.
• Pour the fat out of the casserole and add the butter and garlic if using.
• Return the chops to the casserole, overlapping slightly, and baste them with the butter.
• Cover and heat the casserole until the meat is sizzling, then set in lower third of preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Turn and baste the chops once or twice.
• Remove chops to serving platter.
• Remove all but 2 Tb. of fat from the casserole and add in the white wine.
• Boil rapidly, scraping up coagulated cooking juices until you have about 1/2 cup of concentrated sauce. Pour sauce over chops.

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over low heat, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.
• In large bowl, combine egg yolks and granulated sugar. Pour in hot cream and stir mixture gently to combine. Strain custard into a pitcher and skim off any bubbles.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Place 8 three-quarter-cup ramekins or ceramic custard cups in roasting pan. Pour custard into ramekins, filling to the rim. Place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour warm water into pan until it reaches halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool. Cover each and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or as long as 2 days.
• When ready to serve, preheat broiler. Uncover ramekins and place them on baking sheet. Top each with a thin layer of brown sugar. Use knife to spread sugar evenly across the custards. Broil custards about 2 inches from flame for 30 seconds to 2 minutes until sugar is caramelized, watching constantly to make sure it does not burn. Serve immediately.