Basic ingredients, quick prep time and a sophisticated flavor twist make our caramel creme brulee the best dessert for elevated parties.
Instructions
1
Create the custard base
2
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream and half-and-half cream until bubbles form around the side of the pan. Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat so the creams don’t boil over. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 cup of granulated sugar, the caramel extract and salt until they're blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in the hot cream mixture. Editor’s Tip: I like to run my custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve to ensure there aren’t any little pieces of scrambled eggs.
3
Bake it in a hot water bath
4
Place an ungreased, broiler-safe 13x9-inch baking dish in a baking pan large enough to hold it without touching the sides. Pour the custard mixture into the 13x9-inch dish. Place the large pan, with the 13x9-inch baking dish inside of it, on an oven rack. Pour very hot water into the larger baking pan to within 1 inch of the top of the 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake the custard until the center is just set and the top appears dull, 40 to 50 minutes. Immediately remove the 13x9-inch baking dish from the water bath and transfer it to a wire rack to cool at room temperature for one hour. Cover the pan tightly with storage wrap and refrigerate it until the custard is nice and cold.
5
Brulee the sugar
6
Option 1: Brulee it with a kitchen torch In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. To caramelize the topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly all over the top of the custard. Hold the kitchen torch flame about 2 inches above the custard’s surface, and rotate it slowly until the sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve the caramel creme brulee immediately or refrigerate it for a maximum of 1 hour. Option 2: Brulee it under the broiler n a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. To caramelize the topping under a broiler, let the custard stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler to high. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly all over the top of the custard. Slide the baking dish into the oven and broil the top 3 to 4 inches away from heat until the sugar is caramelized, two to three minutes.
7
Serve the caramel creme brulee immediately or refrigerate it for a maximum of 1 hour. Editor’s Tip: You must let the custard sit for 30 minutes at room temperature to take some of the chill off the pan. Otherwise, the intense heat hitting the cold pan will cause the pan to crack or shatter.
