Burn Baby Burn, Custard Inferno! - Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée.......

The mere word conjures feelings of pure decadence. This is completely understandable considering the amount of fat contained in these little dishes of burnt sugar crusted heaven. But then again, this is a desert to be relished on special occasions. After all, you wouldn’t sit down and eat a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey for dessert every night of the week now, would you? Or would you?

To be honest though, a 4 oz serving of Crème Brûlée, while not exactly healthy, really isn’t THAT bad.  I mean, it's loaded with calcium and potassium, right?

I love to make Crème Brûlée when I am having a large dinner party; in fact, I find it to be the perfect ending to most complex dinners. There is something refreshing about it’s simplicity after more complicated offerings, and most guests feel truly spoiled when being served such a dessert. I had one guest who commented that the main reason they showed up was in hopes of Crème Brûlée after dinner. Ya know, to this day, I am still not sure if I should be offended or flattered by that.

As stated earlier, Crème Brûlée is ingenious in its simplicity. It is nothing more than a combination of cream, egg yolk, and sugar, flavored with vanilla. What makes Crème Brûlée so much different from other custards is the method of combining these 4 ingredients. After all these years and many, many, many batches of burnt custard, I have found that there is just no way around it; you will need the following to properly execute this dish:

1. A Bain-Marie (Double Boiler) to bring the custard to the Crème Anglaise stage. (When a clean line remains on the back of a spoon when your finger is drawn through it. If you have ever made cold process soap, another way to equate this stage is ‘light trace’). This step removes all of the air bubbles whisked in while conditioning the yolks. If not, you will have cooked foam on top of your finished crème. It also prevents accidental overcooking of the eggs as well as speeding up the baking process.
2. Cheese cloth – No matter how good anyone is at separating eggs, you will almost always end up with a little egg white and at least part of the chalaza (The twisted albumen at each end of the yolk to hold it in place inside the shell.) Albumen coagulates at a much lower temp than the yolk will, and therefore must be strained out of the final mixture or you will have chunks.  (not sparkly)
3. A kitchen torch or a Crème Brûlée iron - Trying to caramelize sugar under the broiler yields unsatisfactory results at best, no matter what they say on the Food Network.
4. 4 - 4 oz ramekins that are only about 1 inch deep. Otherwise the cooking time will be off. And let’s face it; really good Crème Brûlée has a specific ratio of crusty caramel goodness to custard, if your ramekins are too deep it throws this ratio off. Bigger surface area means more crust.
5. A roasting pan to use as a water bath. Unlike cheesecake (Which is a custard as well) you cannot cheat and place it in a dry oven, Crème Brûlée needs the gentle 212 degree heating of a water bath or it will quickly become over done and tough.

I know all this just made this undertaking sound REALLY complicated, but I assure you, it's is fairly easy to execute.

Basic Crème Brûlée

1/2 of a Vanilla Bean (Pod and Caviar)
pinch of Kosher Salt
2 cup of Heavy Cream (Light whipping cream and half and half add too much milk protein and make the Crème Brûlée tough.)
1/3 cup Caster or Bakers sugar (It dissolves quicker)
1/2 cup of Egg Yolk, Room Temperature (Yes, I use a liquid volume measure for this, that way it doesn’t matter what size eggs I have in the fridge. 1/4 cup yolk for every cup of heavy cream seems to be the perfect ratio, giving the Crème Brûlée the silky smooth texture)

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees

Split, then scrape your Vanilla Bean, with the back of the knife, to free the inner caviar.

In a medium sauce pan heat Heavy Cream, Kosher Salt, Vanilla Caviar as well as the Pod to just below a boil (scald)

Place the bottom of the double boiler on the stove with about 1 inch of water, begin heating on medium heat.

In the top of the double boiler, but no over the heating water yet, whisk the Egg Yolks and Sugar until the sugar melts and no longer feels gritty in your fingers.

Place a tea kettle over medium heat as well, you will need it for the water bath later........

When cream has hit scald point, remove the pan from the heat, cover and let the Vanilla steep for 5-10 minutes, then fish out the Vanilla Pod.

Begin whisking yolks as you slowly pour the hot cream over them. (this will prevent you from having sweetened scrambles eggs)

Place mixture over the simmering water and cook until the Crème Anglaise stage mentioned above. Your custard should be smooth and almost bubble free.

Strain through 3 layers of cheese cloth into a vessel you can pour from, this removes ANY lumps. (I filter it into a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup, for easy filling of the ramekins)

Fill ramekins about 3/4 full and place in a roasting pan.

Pull the rack from your oven out and place the roasting pan upon it and finish filling the ramekins almost to the top.

Push the oven rack in and fill the pan with hot water from the kettle until it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins, close the door and reduce the temperature to 325F degrees.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, the center will still be a little jiggly, that is good, if it’s not jiggly, then they are over done.

Carefully remove roasting pan from oven and quickly remove ramekins from hot water to a cooking rack. (I use tongs for this.)

Let Crème Brûlée cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator over night.

40 minutes before serving, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle the tops with a thin layer of plain old granulated sugar, or for a super special treat, use Demerara Sugar. (Which is actually my favorite)

With the ramekin in 1 hand and the lit kitchen torch in the other, apply the flame to the sugar, about 4 inches away, as soon as it begins to melt and run, twist the ramekin in your hand, I find this easier than moving the torch around. (I know, I am doing it on the counter, contrary to how I am saying it should be done, but in my defense, I needed one hand for the camera)

When all the tops are covered with a burnt crust, refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving, this will re-chill the custard slightly, but will not be long enough for the crust to get or turn into liquid.

Now take a spoon, and hold the ramekin up to your ear while forcefully applying your spoon to the crust, just to hear that satisfying “Crack” when the crust breaks.

Then there is the perfect spoonful, with just a small amount of the cracked caramel to accompany the unctuousness of the cream custard.

Sadly, it all seems to end WAY too soon.

Mangia!!
~~

Oldie But Goodie - Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

I decided that for my second non-shortbread Christmas cookie, I would tackle one of my grandmother's favorite treats.  Old Fashioned Molasses cookies.

That's all. No big uber fantastically sentimental Christmas story behind these.  It's just that she doesn't bake the way she use to anymore, due to her medical issues; so it's up to we grandchildren to carry the torch and provide HER with all the delectable morsels that she has made for US over the years.  And just in case she sees this.... I love you Granny!  You da bomb!

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

270g (9.5 oz) (2 cups) AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Ginger
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
113g (8 TB) Unsalted Butter
200g (1 cup) Light Muscovado Sugar (or Dark Brown Sugar)
2 TB Nut oil (Such as Peanut, Hazelnut or Walnut)
80ml (1/3 cup) unsulphured Full Flavor Molasses (I think "Grandma's" brand calls it"Robust")
1 large Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 - 3/4 cup Raw Sugar or Demerara Sugar

In a small bowl, combine AP Flour, Baking Soda, Kosher Salt, Cinnamon, Ginger and Cloves, whisking well to disperse the spices.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat Butter and Muscovado Sugar until fluffy. (Light Muscovado is a little darker than "Dark" Brown Sugar and a little moister, so you get more flavor and more "chew" in the final cookie)

Add Oil and continue beating to combine well.

Slowly pour in the molasses (I use Brer Rabbit because that is what my grandmother always used)

Once the molasses is combines well and it doesn't look like it has separated, add the Egg and beat until everything is all light and fluffy like frosting. (about 2 minutes)

Add the Vanilla extract and beat an additional minute.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and begin adding the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time.

The dough will almost be as soft as "batter"; don't worry, it's still fine.

Move to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Place 1/2 -3/4 cup of Demerara or Raw Sugar in a bowl. (you can use white sugar, but Raw & Demerara have more molasses flavor)

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into 1 inch balls.

Roll them in the Raw Sugar or Demerara Sugar until completely coated.

Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes (they will puff up and then sink back down in a nice crackled pattern when done)

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.

Then move them to a cooling rack.

Mangia!!
~~

Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses

But Moses supposes erroneously,
For Moses, he knowses his toeses aren't roses,
As Moses noses smells Cookies and Tea.

OK, I know that was completely, utterly and irrevocably LAME....  But I had to get it out cause it was plaguing my mind the whole time I was baking these enticing cookies.  LOL

Sugar cookies come in many forms.  Some crisp, some chewy and some are soft and slightly cake like.  And while the ingredient list is usually fairly simple, being Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Flour, there always seems to be room for a few "extras" like Sour Cream or Heavy Cream....  

In this case I have forgone my "family" sugar cookie recipe, a mace flavored crispy cookie that works well when one is decorating shapes with frosting, and decided to go with a softer version from by grandmother that contains Sour Cream.  My only addition to these delicious cookies is to give them some other "flavor" besides the standard Vanilla.  Thusly, I have chosen Rose Water, to give them a little exotic flair.

What exactly IS Rose Water?  Technically speaking, it is the water that is left over from the distillation of Damascus Rose petals to obtain the essential oils (known as Rose Otto, or Attar of Rose) for use by the perfume industry.  In essence (ha ha) it's by-product that has found it's way into kitchens across the globe as a flavoring agent.  From Turkish Delights (loukoum) to Custard and Rice Pudding, right on down to Curry pastes and Lamb Tangine.  Think of it as a way to lower the "Carbon footprint" of the perfume industry.   LOL

I normally reserve it for Cocktails (which is fairly common place in the U.S) and on those special occasions when I make Baklava.  But today I have decided to branch out and I am very pleased that I did.  I am already planning to make some Orange Blossom Water cookies as well.  (A by-product from the distillation of Orange Flowers, usually called Neroli, as opposed to Pettitgrain which is a distillation of the leaves and bark of the same Orange tree)

There are those that might complain that it smells like Soap or "Grandma's Perfume".  It's actually the other way around, Soap and Grandma's Perfume smell like rosewater.  LOL

I am gonna warn you now, this is a REALLY sticky dough to work with.  You only get one rolling and cutting out of it before you have to re-refrigerate it.  It's the sour cream that makes it so sticky.  Over the years I have tried to add more flour to compensate, but it doesn't really work... The cookies just taste floury and odd.  SO I have come up with a solution, since this makes 6 dozen or so.  Simply divide the dough into three pieces before chilling. Then, after you have used the first piece, you can re-wrap it, throw it back in the refrigerator and grab one of the other two, well chilled, pieces to work with.  It helps a little; at least you can get three batches of cookies done before you are brought to a stand-still waiting for dough chillage.  Then I combine all the remaining dough together for 1 final rolling. (kind of the way I do with Linzer Augen) Sticky dough hardships aside, they are WELL worth the trouble....

I am just sayin. ;)

Rose Water Sugar Cookies

Printable Recipe
4 1/2 cups (625 g)(22 oz) AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup (227 g)(8 oz) Cultured Butter (or Unsalted)
1 1/2 cup (325 g)(11.5 oz) Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 cup (240 g)(8.5 oz) Sour Cream (not light or fat free)
1 TB Rose Water
Demerara Sugar or Rose Petals or Sugared Rose Petals (procedure follows)

Whisk Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt together in a medium bowl, then set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugar together until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition so as to not break the emulsion.

Mix Sour Cream and Rose Water together in a small bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the Flour mixture and the Sour Cream mixture, alternating, beginning and ending with the flour.

(1/3 of the Flour, 1/2 of the Sour Cream, 1/2 the remaining Flour, the remaining Sour Cream, the rest of the Flour)

Divide the resulting dough into 3 chunks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line your baking pans with parchment paper.
Remove 1 of the wrapped dough balls and turn out onto a heavily floured surface (cause this dough will get sticky REALLY quick)

Roll to 1/4 inch thick with a well floured rolling pin and cut 3 -inch cookies.

Move the cookies, with a well floured spatula, to the lined baking sheets.

Scoop up the dough scraps, press them together and re-wrap with plastic before placing back in the refrigerator. (If you are making more cookies, grab one of the other dough balls)

If you have chosen to decorate them with Demarera Sugar, sprinkle it on the tops of the cookies now, if you are using rose petals, wait until after baking.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.

Move the cookies to racks and allow to cool completely before serving.

If you forwent the Demerara Sugar and have opted for Rose Petals as decor, you have 2 choices.

But FIRST you need to pick some roses that are free of any sprays.  I like the old fashioned "single" roses for this, cause the petals are not quite as big as the Tea or Floribunda types.

Remove the petals from your chosen roses, then rinse and dry them gently.

OK, now the choices... Fresh or Sugared?

For Fresh..... 

Simply place a small dab of crusting buttercream on top of each cookie to be adorn with a petal.

Place the rose petal on top, pressing gently into the frosting.....

Tah Dah! (the cookies will have to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to prevent the petals from wilting)

If you have left over petals, you can cover them with Plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator as well.

For Sugared Rose Petals.....

1 tsp Meringue Powder
1 tsp Cold Water
Super Fine Sugar
Soft Paint Brush
Paper Towel

Mix the Meringue Powder and Water together with a small whisk.

 

Dip your paint brush in the reconstituted egg white and "paint" reach petal on both sides. (Hold the petal by the point  where it was attached to the flower base - you will be cutting that part off later anyway, cause it's bitter)

Sprinkle with Super Fine Sugar on both sides.

Then set on a paper towel and allow to dry for 24 hours (yeah I know, you kind of have to plan ahead for this)

Before applying the petals to the cookies, clip off the little point that you were holding during the sugaring process.  It is SUPER bitter, and not very tasty, so it has to go.

Just as before, apply a small dab of crusting butter cream and simply press the sugared Rose petal into the frosting.  These should not be refrigerated, cause the sugar will melt off the petals due to the humidity.

Looks like everything's coming up roses... Har dee har har

Mangia!!
~~