Vanilla Lemongrass Crème Brûlée Food

VANILLA LEMONGRASS CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Mix the cream with the lemongrass in a pan, then bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Pour into a bowl, cover and infuse in the fridge for 6 hrs.
• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Whisk the sugar with the egg yolks. Warm the lemongrass cream to 50C, strain through a sieve, then whisk it into the egg mixture, along with the vanilla seeds. Pour the mixture into six ramekins.
• Put the ramekins in a roasting tin and pour in hot water to halfway up their outside. Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until set with a slight wobble. Remove the ramekins from the tin, cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs. Before serving, sprinkle some sugar over each ramekin and caramelise with a blowtorch until golden brown.

GINGER & LEMON GRASS CRèME BRULéE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Place ginger and the lemongrass into a medium saucepan.
• Add the heavy cream and simmer gently for 25 minutes to infuse the flavours.
• Remove the infusion from the stove and strain through a fine sieve.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together the yolks, the sugar the lemon extract and the bitters.
• Slowly mix in the heavy cream infusion.
• Pour into ramekins or an oven casserole dish. Remove any foam from the top of mixture with a teaspoon.
• Place ramekins into a large casserole dish and pour hot water until the level is halfway up the sides of the ramekin dish. Put into oven and bake until the custard is firm (the center should jiggle just a little when you shake it) approximately 40 -50 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and completely cool before you cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To serve.
• Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar and using a blow torch caramelize the sugar. The oven broiler can be used in place of the torch.
• Place the ramekins in a tray of cold water and ice and leave in the broiler for 3-5 minutes--just enough to caramelize the sugar.
• Variations: 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel can be substituted for the lemon grass.

LEMON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300°F.
• Line a shallow baking pan with a kitchen towel.
• Have a pot of boiling water ready.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the lemon juice to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the juice is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, lemon zest and the 1/2 cup sugar.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until steam rises, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk together the vanilla and egg yolks until smooth and combined.
• Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking constantly, then stir in the reduced lemon juice.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and divide among six 3 1/2 ounce ramekins.
• Place the ramekins in the prepared baking pan and add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the ramekins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool the custards to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours, then refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over the surface of each custard.
• Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer's instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns.
• Serve immediately.