Vanilla Creme Brulee, 2 Ways
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 8 teaspoons
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 8 large egg yolks
- 35 wafer cookies
- In medium, non-reactive saucepan, combine the cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla bean and seeds over medium heat.
- Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Whisk about 2 cups of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth.
- Slowly pour this mixture into the hot cream mixture, whisk for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Plating 1: Fill 8 (6-ounce) custard cups with equal portions of the mixture.
- Place the cups in a deep roasting pan or baking dish large enough to accommodate the cups without touching.
- Fill the roasting pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the cups.
- Bake in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and remove the cups from the water.
- Let cool.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Sprinkle each cup with 1 teaspoon sugar.
- One at a time, using a kitchen blowtorch, approach the sugar with the torch at a low angle until the inner blue flame is 1/4-inch above the surface and move the flame in a continuous motion over the surface until the sugar has caramelized.
- Or, preheat the broiler, sprinkle the sugar over the custards, and slide the dishes under the broiler.
- Broil until the sugar caramelizes, 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so the custard does not curdle or break.
- Remove and serve.
- Before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the remaining sugar on the top of each custard.
- Plating 2: Fill a shallow baking dish with the mixture.
- Place in a medium roasting pan and fill with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
- Bake in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and remove the cups from the water.
- Let cool.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, arrange 25 to 35 wafer cookies on a baking sheet (the amount will depend upon the amount spread onto each cookie).
- With a flat knife, scoop and smoothly spread the custard mixture onto each cookie.
- Sprinkle the top of each lightly with sugar, and using a kitchen blowtorch, approach the sugar with the torch at a low angle until the inner blue flame is 1/4-inch above the surface and move the flame in a continuous motion over the surface until the sugar has caramelized.
- Wait several minutes to cool before serving on a decorative platter as a passed dessert.
heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, egg yolks, cookies
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/vanilla-creme-brulee-2-ways-recipe.html (may not work)