Lighter Crème Brûlée Food

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons white sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.
• Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.
• Pour cream mixture into the top pan of a double boiler. Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat immediately and pour into a shallow heat-proof dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to broil.
• In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.

LIGHTER CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Stir 2 tbsp of the sugar, the custard powder and cornflour in a medium bowl with 2 tbsp of the milk to make a smooth paste. Beat in the egg yolks with a fork until well combined. Pour the remaining milk into a pan, preferably non-stick, then pour in the cream. Slit the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into the milk. Drop the pod into the pan and bring the creamy milk just to the boil - as soon as you see a few bubbles rising to the surface, remove from the heat.
• Slowly pour and stir the hot milk into the cornflour mix, including the vanilla pod, making sure the yolks are well blended in. Transfer to a clean pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for about 15-20 mins until the mixture is very thick - when you drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan, it should leave a clean line. It should be much thicker after about 10 mins, but keep stirring until the mixture has thickened sufficiently to look like softly whipped cream or mayonnaise. Keep adjusting the heat so that the mixture does not come to the boil or overheat, as it may curdle and become lumpy. If this happens, beat the mixture smooth with a wire whisk.
• Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Remove the vanilla pod. Stir in the crème fraîche and divide the mixture between 4 small ramekins (about 125-150ml capacity each). Spread the mixtures level, then chill, uncovered, overnight. By not covering them, a thin skin can form on top of the brûlées, which will help support the caramel layer.
• Before serving, spoon the remaining sugar over the top of each brûlée (allow 1½ tsp per ramekin) and smooth over with the back of the spoon. To caramelise, use a blowtorch. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep it moving until evenly caramelised (don't take too long or you will heat up the custard too much). If the custard looks as though it has softened slightly, put the ramekins in the fridge for 5-10 mins to firm it up again. Serve while the caramel is still brittle.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE (LIGHT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the insides. Heat 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 6 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.

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Place 6 creme brulee dishes in a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Combine the milk, brown sugar and powder creamer in a medium skilled over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
• In the meantime, whisk together the egg whites and vanilla extract.
• Remove the milk mixture from heat and whisk in the egg white mixture.
• Pour into 6 creme brulee dishes.
• Pour hot water into the baking dish.
• Bake for 28 minutes.