Crème Brûlée

CREME BRÛLÉE 💫 We love this dessert recipe for a dinner party for the following reasons:

1. Can be made in advance.

2. Torching the sugar table side is a fun party trick.

3. When paired with Sauternes it is a next level dessert experience.

Sauternes is a world famous dessert wine region from Bordeaux made from a mix of grapes infected with a fungus called Botrytis, also known as noble rot, causing some of the grapes to be raisiny, which results in a more concentrated and distinctively flavored wine. The wine's rich flavors of apricot, honey, and sweetness complement the caramelized, custard-like texture of the crème brûlée, resulting in a harmonious pairing!!

Serves 8

4 cups heavy cream

⅔ cup sugar

Pinch or salt

1 vanilla bean, split with beans removed (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)

12 egg yolks

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine two cups of heavy cream, vanilla seeds and the pod into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Slowly scald the milk over medium-low heat-you do not want it to come to a boil. Once you see tiny bubbles along the edge of the pan you know it is ready to come off the heat. Turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes to infuse and cool slightly.  

Add whisk attachment to stand mixture and whisk eggs, sugar and a pinch of salt on low speed.

Add remaining two cups of heavy cream to scalded cream to cool it down.

Slowly add the cream mixture to the eggs, one cup at a time.  Add Grand Marnier and whisk gently to combine.

Turn a full kettle of water on and bring to a boil.  Place ramekins in a large baking dish with a high rim.  Fill ramekins with cream mixture, then place the ramekins in a baking dish and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake 40-45 minutes until set when gently shaken (and if you want to use a thermometer, until they reach 175 degrees).

Remove ramekins to a cooling rack, then cover each ramekin and refrigerate for at least four hours and up to 4 days.  

When ready to serve, pat the top with a paper towel if there is condensation.  Sprinkle each ramekin with 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Use a cooking torch to caramelize the sugar - if you do not have a torch you can set them under a broiler for a few minutes but keep an eye on them! Allow then to sit one minute to harden, then serve!