Time for dessert

After a starter and an entree it’s time to turn our attention to dessert as we reach the half way point of the fall flavors series. Over the years I’ve developed confidence in my abilities in the kitchen, but I don’t have a tremendous amount of experience making desserts.

When I decided to make a creme brulee the first time I ever made dinner for my wife it was a big risk. On Top Chef any attempt at pastry by a chef with little experience in that world can sink their chances of winning the challenge. Despite the risk, I decided to go for it and, yes, there was a small part of me that just wanted to play with a kitchen torch.

As the night of the big dinner arrived I went all out and picked up a creme brulee kit that came with four small ramekins. The finished product was alright, but it ended up being a little too firm for creme brulee. Based on subsequent research it is my opinion that the ramekins were too shallow for the amount of time that I cooked them in the water bath.

Since that time I have made creme brulee on a number of occasions, mostly because I wanted to get it right. One year I experimented with a sweet potato creme brulee, which I wasn’t fond of, and, finally, this port wine creme brulee.

One of the keys to a great creme brulee, even if you are going with just a simple vanilla flavored one, is constantly monitoring the cream as it scalds since it will turn on you quickly if you aren’t monitoring it diligently. The other is knowing exactly when it has reached the point of being firm, but not too firm in the center, while baking in the oven.

In the end it takes time and practice, delicious practice. And if that weren’t incentive enough guys, you get to play with a torch.

Port Wine Cranberry Creme Brulee

Hardware

• Medium saucepan
• Medium mixing bowl
• 6 ramekins (7 to 8 ounce in size)
• Large cake or roasting pan
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk, strainer (or sieve) and other assorted utensils

Software

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon extract)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided evenly
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup port wine cranberry sauce
• 2 quarts hot water

Assemblage

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Combine the vanilla bean and pulp, cardamom and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium high heat and scald (warm to the touch, but not to the point of boiling)
• Mix the eggs yolks with a 1/2 cup of sugar and whisk until well blended and the yolks are a light, creamy yellow
• Remove the vanilla bean from the scalded cream by straining it through a sieve into a large measuring cup and temper the creamed egg yolk mixture by adding just a little bit of the cream at a time (this brings the temperature of the egg yolks up so that they don’t curdle in the hot cream), then whisk vigorously until totally combined
• Strain the cream base again this time to remove any bits of cranberry that didn’t get obliterated when it was blended, then divide the liquid between the ramekins
• Place the cake or roasting pan on the oven rack and pour the hot water in the cake or roasting pan
• Set the ramekins gently in the pan and make sure the hot water comes about half way up the sides of the ramekins
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center of the creme brulee is set, but not firm
• Remove the ramekins from the pan and cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours and up to three days

Presentation

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan on caramelizing the sugar on top. Divide the second 1/2 cup of sugar and spread out evenly. Using a torch or the broiler, melt the sugar until it is a crispy and golden brown. Give the creme brulee about five minutes to rest after browning the sugar before serving.

If you wanted to make it a little fancier, you could reserve a little of the port wine cranberry sauce before it was pureed smooth as a topping and finish it off with a mint leaf for effect.

If you’re interested in seeing how I made the roasted butternut squash lasagna with port wine cranberries, you can check out the video I made over at peaches en risotto.

* if you watch the video over at the peaches blog you note that I said 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom, but that was based on an earlier version of this recipe and I have substituted that for 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

Tagged as: Baking and Confections, Cook, Cream, Dessert, Home, Sugar, Vanilla