Creme Brulee is a French term for what the English refer to as Burnt Cream. The word brulee refers to dishes, such as custards, finished with a sugar glaze.
This simple custard is cooked and cooled. A small amount of sugar is sprinkled on the top of the cooled custard and the sugar is caramelized using a small torch or beneath a broiler. This classic custard inherits its' delicate flavor from the simple mixture of cream and eggs. Traditional creme brulee does not use any additional flavorings such as vanilla.
This is an old creme brulee recipe that dates back to 1909. It was taken from The Ocklye Cookery Book, and it is the best creme brulee recipe I have personally ever come across. It comes from the folks over at the Gourmet Sleuth and it is not only easy, it is amazing.
I N G R E D I E N T S
2 1/2 cups heavy cream or 1 1/4 cups heavy cream and 1 1/4 cups light cream
4 large egg yolks, well beaten
1/4 to 1/3 cup superfine sugar*
I N S T R U C T I O N S
Bring cream to a boil, and boil about 30 seconds. Pour it immediately into the egg yolks and whisk them together. Return the mixture to the pan and continue cooking without allowing it to boil. Stir the mixture until it thickens and coats the spoon. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish. Refrigerate overnight.
Two hours before the meal, sprinkle the chilled cream with the sugar in an even layer and place it under a broiler preheated to the maximum temperature. The sugar will caramelize to a sheet of brown smoothness. You may need to turn the dish in the grill to achieve an even effect. It is important that this step be done very quickly in order to keep the custard cold and firm and the top crisp and brown.
*The custard in this recipe does not call for sugar. The sweetness is derived from the burnt sugar crust.
Serving size - 4 to 6
