Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Crème Brûlée

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was crème brûlée, selected by Mevrouw Cupcake. I've only had this dessert once before, but I wasn't really impressed by it. Looking back on it, the reason is probably that they had the crème brûlée on display (burnt top and all), and then before serving they added more sugar and re-burnt the top. I'm sure that somehow affected things, having old burnt soggy sugar covered with a new crisp layer. This recipe definitely changed my opinion, and I loved the simplicity of the flavors.

Plus, this gave me an excuse to buy an awesome butane torch. While I was buying the ramekins at a cooking store, I saw a culinary torch...for $50. It didn't even come filled, I'd have had to take it to another store to get the butane. I knew I could get a better deal, and Moowie had bought a torch a few days before, so I gave her a call and ended up going to Home Depot. Quadruple the awesomeness, ten times the fuel, and still cheaper.

I was a little worried about how these would turn out the first time around. Burning the sugar on top, I didn't know if I was getting it done evenly or if the sugar on the bottom was melting. After cracking into the crème brûlée, all those worries disappeared. The top was perfectly hard, and cracked nicely.

The taste of the lightly burnt sugar mixed with a very simple vanilla custard came together perfectly. When I bought the blowtorch, I figured I'd end up using it for other reasons eventually, but now that I've made this, I know I'll be repeating this dessert anytime I need a simple but impressive ending to a meal.

Recipe - Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, p. 393

14 comments:

Engineer Baker said...

That last photo looks perfect. Good to know that Home Depot is the place to go for fiery awesomeness.

chocolatechic said...

I looked and looked and looked for ramekins for this, but couldn't find any.

Yours look wonderful

Christine said...

The ramekins I bought were a lot deeper. The only ones that I could find and I couldn't find a torch! Sorry it wasn't for you but it looks delicious!

Jamie said...

I love the last photo, this is truly a great finish to any meal!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow can that LOOK any more perfect??

Anonymous said...

I could only dream of my sugar looking that good. It looks perfect.

Mari said...

Blowtorches are so much fun, and they make it so easy to make this dessert spectacular!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

looks great, and you got a real torch--how fun!!

Anne said...

This was the dessert we had at a wedding last month, can't wait to make it at home. Thanks!

Heather B said...

Love your pictures! Your creme brulee looks so delicious!

kimberly salem said...

great job on the creme brulee... glad you liked it this time! that sounds weird about the second burnt layer. actually it sounds lazy on the restaurant's part. :-p

Anonymous said...

Your brulee top looks gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

You forgot one important part of the story...getting kicked out of your brothers kitchen before setting the fire alarms off inside the house! I would recommend sending your chef with the torch outside...especially when it is your little brothers first time using it!

AmyRuth said...

Garrett,
I too love the different aromas and characteristics of vanillas out there. I found one in Playa del Carmen at Ah Cacao, a little chocolate and coffee cafe there. They have the most amazing mexican vanilla. Totally beautiful and I think you might be able to get it via the internet. Or maybe there in San Diego. Its Gaya.
Loved your vanilla site and your brulee is beautiful. wish I had a spoon
AmyRuth