Traditional crème brûlée doesn’t call for cornstarch, but I find that it helps to make this recipe foolproof. It adds a bit of thickening power and also lends to the silky consistency. You can choose to omit it from the recipe if you prefer. You can also make this recipe with all heavy cream if you prefer or omit the Grand Marnier or if you don’t happen to have it on hand. This recipe is a great way to practice a few key kitchen skills. You’ll make a simple custard, prepare a Bain Marie to bake them in, temper eggs, and also caramelize the sugar without burning it. Each of these skills will come in handy when making countless delicious dishes in your kitchen.
Course: Dessert
Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm
Ingredients
2cupsheavy cream
1cupswhole milk
½vanilla bean podsplit lengthwise (optional)
1large egg
4large egg yolks
1/2cupsugar
1Tablespooncornstarch
1pinchsalt
1teaspoonGrand Marnier
1Tablespoonpure vanilla extract
raw turbinado sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Baking Jars and Bain Marie:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare the baking pan and jars. I like to use my square 9x9 inch cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a thin tea towel or kitchen towel, taking care to ensure that it will not extend outside of the pan and will remain submerged under the warm water while baking. Place 6-8 jelly sized (8 ounce) canning jars in a baking pan. The towel will help to prevent the jars from moving when the pan is transferred to and from the oven.
Bring a medium saucepan or teakettle full of water to a rolling simmer. Reduce the heat and hold at a bare simmer while you are preparing the custard mixture. The warm water will be used to create a Bain Marie in the pan holding the jelly jars. A Bain Marie is a warm water bath used to bake delicate custards. The warm water helps to deliver even heat to the custard and bake it more evenly while preventing it from drying out as it bakes.
Prepare the Custard:
Place the cream and milk in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the pot (if using). Warm the liquid over medium heat until steaming. The cream and milk should be quite warm but far from simmering. Remove the pot from the heat.
While the cream is heating, combine the whole egg, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until completely smooth. Add the Grand Marnier and vanilla extract.
Temper the eggs by gradually adding about half of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine and temper the eggs. This should warm the eggs up without scrambling them. Add the remaining hot cream and whisk to fully combine. If you notice any solid egg, you can strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a piece of cheesecloth before proceeding.
Pour the mixture into the jelly jars, dividing it equally between them. Wipe the rims of the jars to remove any custard that may have clung to the rim of the jars. Slowly pour the warm water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the jars or halfway up the height of the sides of the pan whichever is lower. In my case, the sides of my pan are much shorter than the jelly jars, so I fill the pan until it is about half full. Take care not to overfill the pan as that will make it very difficult to transfer to the oven without spilling.
Carefully transfer the pan to the warm oven and bake for 30 - 45 minutes, until the custards are just set when you slowly move the pan. If you've made 6 instead of 8 jars from this recipe, your custards may need a few extra minutes to set as they will be larger. The middle of the custards should jiggle when the pan is moved. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before moving the jars to a wire rack or tea towel to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled and firm. The chilled custards can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
When you are ready to serve, remove the jars from the refrigerator. Sprinkle 1 generous teaspoon of raw turbinado sugar on top of each crème brûlée. Safely light a kitchen torch or small blow torch. Adjust the flame to be small enough to allow you to easily to manage the flame. Carefully use the torch to melt and caramelize the sugar on top of each jar. Keep the torch moving to prevent overheating one particular spot and burning the sugar. When the sugar is evenly melted and caramelized, turn off the source of gas to the torch and set it aside to cool before storing away safely for its next use.
Allow the sugar a minute or two to cool and harden. Add a few fresh berries to the top of the jars if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
*Take special care when using a kitchen torch or other gas propelled torch. Torches produce a vigorous flame and their fuel source is extremely flammable by design. They should be stored safely away from heat and open flame. Use them in an area with good ventilation and take care to handle the flame with care. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended instructions for use and storage.