by 5 people |
Creme Brulee is a fantastic dessert, composed of a smooth, cool, and soft custard covered in a thin layer of warm, translucent, carmelized sugar. It is composed largely of Sugar, Cream and Eggs and is prepared with an oven, fridge and torch.
Want to know the history of Creme Brulee:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creme_brulee
Want to learn how to make it? Read on
Ingredients
1. Jumbo Eggs
2. Whipping Cream
3. Granulated Sugar
4. Salt
5. Vanilla Extract
Tools
You will also need a few specialized tools:
1. Ramekins - Ceramic dishes used to prepare and serve Creme Brulee
2. Pastry Torch - The torch is used to carmelize the sugar
3. Baking Dish - A dish to bake the custards. Any oven safe dish will do as long as it has 1.5-2" tall walls
Recipes
- A Standard Creme Brulee Recipe
- The standard recipe you know and love.
- A Plethora of Free, Semi-exotic, Creme Brulee Recipes
- Has recipes for:
- Coconut Creme Brulee
- Caramel Creme Brulee
- Orange Creme Brulee
- Maple Creme Brulee
- Chocolate Creme Brulee
- Espresso Creme Brulee.
(among others)
Not a bad selection for the price.
How to make your own Creme Brulee
Collections of Creme Brulee Recipes
Creme Brulee: The Bonjour Way (Cafe)
A well illustrated collection of recipes. Includes classics and more adventerous recipes like: S'more Creme Brulee, Peanut Butter Fudge Creme Brulee, White Chocolate Raspberry Creme Brulee, and Pina Colada Creme Brulee.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/13/2009) 
Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee : & Other Custard Desserts
A slightly more formal book that has traditional dessert recipes and more esoteric varieties for "refined" palettes (e.g. Goat Cheese Creme Brulee).
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/13/2009)
Ramekins
The major consideration in choosing a ramekin is width vs. depth.
Deep Ramekins - High custard to crust ratio. Great for those who like smooth deserts, sweet, but not chocolate frosted sugar bombs sweet.
Wide Ramekins - Low custard to crust ratio. Much sweeter, great contrast in texture, the ideal dish for a great dessert.
BonJour 4-Ounce Oval Creme Brulee Ramekins, Set of 4
This is a perfect example of a "wide" ramekin.
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 07/13/2009)
BonJour 4-Ounce Round Creme Brulee Ramekins, Set of 4
not quite as good as the oval model, but still yields a respectable custard to crust ratio.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
CorningWare French White 7-Ounce Ramekins, Set of 4
The quintessential "deep" ramekin.
Amazon Price: $16.24 (as of 07/13/2009)
Sango Nova Black Ramekins Set of 4
If Prada made a ramekin. The black contrasts nicely with the yellows and orange colors that the sugar turns when exposed to fire. The aestheitc benefit makes this a worthwhile buy.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
CorningWare Colours 7-Ounce Ramekins, Blue Ocean
More Martha Stewart than Prada. This ramekin has the same aesthetic benefits as the black one, but also has a curved base making it easier to get at the last bits of custard.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
FIRE!
Torches for carmelizing the sugar
BonJour Creme Brulee Set
This is a nice, cheap way to get started making Creme Brulee. It comes with a decent torch, 4 ramekins and a mini cookbook.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
Dessert Blogs
- Dessert Comes First
- Blog focusing on desserts with really good photographs.
- Baking Sheet
- Great blog featuring classic and esoteric desserts. Many postings have recipes attached so you can cook along at home.
- Cupcakes Take The Cake
- All Cup Cakes, All the time. Sums it up pretty well.
- A Spoonful of Sugar
- A British woman's foodie blog focusing on desserts with some savory recipes thrown in for good measure.
