Saffron Cardamom Creme Brule Food

EASY SAFFRON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Bring the half-and-half and saffron to a bare simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and refrigerate until cold.
• Add the vanilla pudding powder to the chilled half-and-half and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly among four 6-ounce ramekins and let set for 10 minutes (or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day).
• Sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of the pudding (1 1/2 teaspoons per ramekin). Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, then let set until hard, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

SAFFRON CARDAMOM CREME BRULéE

Steps:

• Bang cardamom pods lightly in a mortar and pestle. Add cream, saffron strands and cardamom to a small saucepan. Scald the cream (heat it on moderately high heat until little bubbles are forming around the edge) - watch it like a hawk - you don't want it boiling and you don't want to waste your precious saffron. Take it off the fire. Cover the saucepan and leave it sit for 30 minutes. Scald it again and take off the fire the let it sit for another 30 minutes (you want the saffron steeping for a long time to extract as much of the flavor as possible).
• Pass the cream mixture though a fine sieve and discard the solids. If it's cooled down scald it once more.
• Combine egg yolks, sugar and rose water in a deep bowl. Whisk it with a fork to a paste. Temper in the cream mixture (slowly add the warm cream in while stirring so the egg mixture does not heat up too fast and start to cook).
• Pour the liquid into 3 or 4 ounce creme brulée ramekins and set up a bain marie - that is a water bath - you do this by placing the ramekins in a roasting or baking pan and add water to the pan so that it reaches almost as high as your custard level. Be careful not to let water get into the ramekins.
• Bake in the oven at 325 for about 30 minutes. It is done when it jiggles only slightly in the middle when the ramekin is tapped from the side. I recommend checking on it at 20 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter. It's hard to predict how long it will take. Remove from the oven and from the bain marie. Let cool on the countertop and once cooled down refrigerate.
• 5 minutes prior to serving take out of the fridge and dust the tops with sugar in the raw then get out your butane torch and burn the sugar going slowly from spot to spot.

BRULEED SAFFRON CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Place six 1/2-cup baking dishes in a large baking or roasting pan.
• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, saffron, and cardamom. Heat over medium just until mixture begins to bubble around the edge of the pot, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep at least 20 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and salt in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, add a small ladle of hot milk mixture to the yolks. Repeat process until all of the milk mixture has been incorporated. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup.
• Divide custard evenly among baking dishes. Place pan in oven and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes. Cover baking pan with parchment-lined foil and bake until custards are just set (they should tremble slightly in center when shaken), 30 to 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, carefully remove custards from hot water bath to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Working with one at a time, hold a handheld kitchen 1 to 2 inches above surface and move flame in a circular motion until sugar bubbles, turns amber, and forms a smooth surface. Serve immediately.

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.