Vanilla has always been my favorite flavor, but I've always felt like it got a bad rap for being plain and boring. Maybe it's because vanilla is used to describe boring sex, but let me tell you, vanilla is anything but boring. It's smooth, alluring, almost smoky and quite sexy.
There is no better way to showcase vanilla than with eggs and cream. My usual go-to for a vanilla fix is ice cream, but on this occasion, I wanted something more romantic. A quick trip to the store and I was ready to make Crème Brûlée.
Crème Brûlée is the kind of decadent treat that really elevates the mood. It's just so sexy. Amélie knew the simple pleasure of cracking the burnt sugar crust of crème brûlée with a spoon. Alton Brown's Crème brûlée recipe showed me that with only 4 ingredients, you too can revel in French pleasures in the comfort of your home.
Ingredients
Makes 6 Servings
1 quart (1 liter) heavy cream, also known as double cream
1 vanilla bean
1 cup (200 g) vanilla sugar divided in half. -To make vanilla sugar just stick a vanilla bean in your sugar jar.
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts (2 liters) hot water
Tools
6 6-8oz (200-240ml) ramekins
Large cake or roasting pan. I used my 2.8L pyrex cake pan.
Blow torch
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
Slice the vanilla bean in half and use the straight side of a knife to scrape all of the seeds out of the pod. Place the vanilla pod, seeds, and cream into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Once the time is up remove the bean and it can be saved for something else.
In a medium bowl whisk together 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar with the egg yolks until it starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little bit at a time while still whisking the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Pour into the ramekins and place them into the cake pan. Pour enough hot water into the cake pan to come halfway up the ramekins. I like to place the pan in the oven and then pour the hot water into the cake pan. Something about trying to put a large pan with various hot liquids into an equally hot oven just seems like a recipe for disaster.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crème brûlée are just about set. Test this by shaking the ramekin gently, the center should jiggle slightly but seem somewhat set up. Alton Brown calls this "trembling". Jiggle, tremble, to each their own. Remove the ramekins from the cake pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
Once you're ready to serve, divide the remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar and sprinkle on top of each crème brûlée. Then go to town with the blow torch. Keep the flame moving in small circles trying not contact the sugar directly. Do not hold the torch in one place! Once you have a nice golden brown color you have successfully caramelized your sugar. Let it sit and cool for the longest five minutes of your life. EVER.
If you burnt your sugar just a wee bit too much, never fear, you can still have yummy dessert. Just slide a butter knife around the outside of the sugar crust and then gently lift the sugar off. Sprinkle some more sugar on top and give that torch another try.
Now that the wait is over, dig in and enjoy the foodgasm that you so thoroughly deserve.
NOM!
Image via Jenessa Hooper for BitchBuzz