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!!
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Crème of the Berry Crop - Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Fresh Marionberries

This post is technically late.  But I was determined to participate in the July BakeSpace Challenge, since I haven't done one in over a year.  This month just happened to be "Local Produce From the Farmer's Market".  This turned out to be a little more challenging than I anticipated, partly due to the extremely wet weather this spring having delayed crops again, just like last year.  But as luck would have it, I found some Marion Berries.  I love berries.  Logan, Tay, Ollalie, Rasp, Salmon, Thimble, Black Cap, Boysen, or  Marion... All the bramble berries are all delicious in their own way.

The Marionberry is a hybrid black berry created by crossing the Chehalem blackberry and the Ollalieberry at Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon. Due to the extensive testing of the berry within the Willamette Valley, when the berry was released in 1956 it was named after Marion County, as opposed to being named after Mr. George F. Waldo who was responsible for creating the initial hybrid in 1946.

Marion berries are a wonderful example of traditional hybridization, bringing the best attributes of the parents into one single berry (the flavor of the Chehalem and the production of the Ollalie). Though as intoxicatingly delicious as the Marionberry is, it may carry some latent genes from the parents of the Ollalie, which is itself a hybrid (Loganberry and Youngberry) developed in 1937; again at Oregon State University, but due to Oregon weather patterns, is much better suited to Northern California.  But enough about the Marionberry's "family bramble".

I get fairly touchy about my Marionberries (having been bereft of them for 13 years in San Diego) for they truly are the fine wine of the berry world.  Deep, rich, tart and earthy, like a fine Pinot Noir.  I prefer them in as unspoiled a preparation as possible. (kind of like my Huckleberries)  I am sure that at some point in the future, now that I am back in Oregon, I will get use to having them around again and may begin experimenting.  But for now...  K.I.S.S. is my phiosophy. Thus, I kept it simple by turning to David Lebovitz's recipe for an unassuming Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, to be served with fresh Marionberries from the Farmer's Market.  Sort of a frozen Berries and Cream.

And lemme tell ya this, about that.  The ice cream is positively the most incredible scoop of deliciousness you will ever taste and fully capable of standing alone on it's own merits.  But even better is the fact that the inherent "nuttiness" of Crème Fraîche is the perfect counter point to the tart zip of the Marion's.  I swear I could hear angels weeping for joy as I consumed it with great abandon.

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream with Marionberries

1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
pinch of Kosher Salt
5 large Egg Yolks
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract (enough to enhance, not to actually flavor)
2 cups Crème Fraîche
Fresh Marionberries 

Begin heating the Milk, Sugar and pinch of Salt over medium heat in a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, separate the Egg Yolks into a medium bowl and break them up with a whisk.

When the Milk/Sugar reaches about 155 -160 degrees (cause you don't really need it too hot) remove the pan from the heat and begin pouring the hot milk slowly over the beaten yolks, while continuing to whisk.

Pour the resulting mixture back into the sauce pan and return to medium heat.

Whisk the soon to be custard until it begins to thicken slightly... about 170 degrees or until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear line. (you know the drill)

Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the tiny amount of vanilla. (that is the little bitty brown spot)

Strain through fine mesh into a bowl to arrest the cooking.

Cover on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and whisk in the Crème Fraîche.

Cover on the surface again and chill again for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instruction. (Usually about 20-30 minutes)

Spoon into a chilled container and freeze completely.... (about 4 hours)

Now for the topping.....

Some lovely Marionberries from the Farmers Market...

Do you hear the angels weeping?  I do. 

Oh wait! that's me.  Cause my bowl is empty.  hmmm

Mangia!!
~~

Confection Ressurection - Butter Brickle Ice Cream

The 4th of July is here again and it's time to celebrate the "signing" of the Declaration of Independence penned with great pains by Thomas Jefferson for the second continental congress.  Though the "Shot Heard Round the World" occurred in April of 1775 and the fighting would continue until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, today is the day we celebrate the signing of the document that justified the colonial rebellion and subsequent forming of our republic. 

Being a holiday that is near and dear to our hearts there are many "traditions" that have sprung up over the last 235 years.   Parades, Festivals, Fireworks and BBQ's being the most prevalent.  I was lucky enough to grow up in Corbett.  It may be a small "Hamlet" in eastern Multnomah county, but when it comes to the 4th, it's an all out block party on a grande scale with parade, festival and a massive firework display.  In between all this merriment, dad would BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers.  But the best part of our 4th of July celebration was the homemade Root Beer ice cream.  True, we had an old hand crank machine, and always had to call on the neighbors for reinforcements before our arms fell off, but the exertions were well worth it.

This tradition is so ingrained now, that it just doesn't seem like the 4th of July without ice cream.  Granted, I don't necessarily make Root Beer ice cream anymore, and I definitely don't use a hand crank machine, but Ice Cream is an absolute must for this occasion.

This year, I have decided to resurrect a flavor that seems to have disappeared from the common market.  Butter Brickle.  That inspired combination of butterscotch ice cream and toffee bits.  Honestly, it doesn't get much better than that. Which, consequently, makes my wonder why you can't find this evocative flavor of frozen deliciousness anymore.  I think it's high time that it was brought back for everyone to enjoy.

Butter Brickle Ice Cream

2 cups Whole Milk
2 cups Light Whipping Cream
2 oz Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 cup of Butterscotch syrup
6 large Egg Yolks
1 cup Heath Toffee Chips (bits o' brickle)

Heat Milk, Cream, Butter and salt in a large sauce pan over medium heat, just until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan.

Grab a 1 cup of the Butterscotch Syrup..... (You'll still have an additional cup for other applications)

and grab a bag of Health English Toffee bits (bits o' brickle)

Add the Butterscotch syrup and whisk until dissolved.

While the Milk mixture is heating, beat egg yolks lightly in a medium bowl.
Condition the yolks by adding about half of the hot Milk mixture while whisking constantly.

Add this back into the sauce pan (again, whisking while adding it) and return the mixture to medium flame.

Continue cooking the "custard", whisking occasionally, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and strain through cheese cloth to remove any potential lumps.

Cover on the surface with plastic wrap to prevent crusting, and chill in the refrigerator until VERY cold.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker instructions.

Once frozen, move the resulting Butterscotch ice cream to a freezer container.

Add the Brickle chips and stir them in.

Freeze until solid.

Enjoy the sweet/salty goodness of old fashioned Butter Brickle Ice Cream!

Mangia!!
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