Saturday, March 5, 2011

Chocolate Crème Brûlée

So, I promised a reader that I would post a dessert, and I totally forgot about it. Now, this recipe is from the February edition of Martha Stewart Living. It is delicious. Just don't forget to strain the mixure like I did. There was a lot of fat on the top after I baked it, which was kind of gross. ;)






2 cups heavy cream


1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar


3 ounces bitterweet chocolate chopped (1/2 cup)


5 large egg yolks


For assembling 4 teaspoons sugar


1. Preheat oven to 250.  Make the crème brûlée: Heat cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and the cream just begins to simmer.  Add chocolate, and whisk until melted and smooth.


2. Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons sugar with the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Slowly pour cream mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly.  Strain custard through a fine sieve.


3. Pour custard into four 4-ounce ramekins.  Transfer ramekins to a roasting pan, and fill pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of ramekins.  Bake until custards are just set, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.  Carefully remove from water and let custards cool.


4. Assemble the crème brûlées: Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Top each with 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Hold a small handheld kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle 3 to 4 inches from surface of custard.  Move flame back and forth until surface is caramelized.  Alternatively, broil custards on top rack until caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes.


Oh my goodness. This was heavenly. Just buy the small carton of cream though. For some reason, I bought the big carton and had tons of cream left over.  And sorry about the bad picture. It's the only one that turned out semi-decently.

Feel free to leave a comment and request a recipe.

And remember: if you mess up, eat it anyway. :)