Crème Brulee

Egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla beans, pinch of salt and turbinado sugar…

combine them and what do you get?

Crème Brulee
It’s a sweet spoonful of Heaven On Earth!

When I have egg yolks left over from baking a cake that requires only egg whites, I am stoked because that is a great reason to make Crème Brulee.

I joined a blog group called SWEET MELISSA SUNDAYS.

On March 7, 2010, a Roasted Pecan Cake recipe was made that required fifteen egg whites. I didn’t want to toss out the egg yolks. So, I gathered ingredients for Crème Brulee and baked it after I made the cake.

There are two recipes & links provided below.

The first Crème Brulee recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated. It uses twelve egg yolks. This recipe was posted by a blogger Brown Eyed Baker. Check out her blog for the recipe.

The second Crème Brulee recipe is from Alton Brown of The Food Network. He uses six egg yolks. See Alton Brown's Creme Brulee recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color.
Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually.
Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins.
Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan.
Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top.
Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top.
Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top.
Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

MY VARIATIONS:
My cooking time is longer than indicated in the recipe. (depends on the ramekin size)
I broil the crème brulee using my oven broiler. I don’t own a torch.
I use vanilla bean paste, not pods. I use about 1 - 2 tablespoons. You can even see the vanilla beans through the jar (if you look closely).
Today, I went down to the Canal in the Princeton area to take photos. I am now owner of a Digital EOS Canon Rebel T1i SLR camera and am learning to use it. The best way to learn is to take photos.

It was beautiful out today…very unusual for March. I came upon a very nice man who was fishing. His name is Alan. He likes to fish for sport. He doesn’t eat what he catches. As we were talking, he caught a fish! And here it is!

Also met a very nice family…it turns out, the father knew a lot about photography. So, of course, we chatted about that for awhile.

So…enjoy your baking time in the kitchen friends. Till the next post.

Peace in baking,
Carmen

Baking is my Zen
…sweet nibbles for the soul

Roasted Pecan Cake with Caramel Peach Marmalade and Burnt Peach Buttercream (sms)

This is my second recipe that I’ve baked with the Sweet Melissa Sundays Group. (sms)

I’ve been busy this week, so I’m burning the midnight oil (as they say) to get this post up on my blog.
But, It was so beautiful out today, I had to get some rays.
I went to the canal to take some photos and enjoy the weather…
especially since it’s been snowing often lately.
I’ve made a note of the constructive tips from some of the bakers in the comments regarding this cake.

It’s great to see other enthusiastic bakers’ different approach to a recipe.

Well...I usually bake a recipe on the first try as written.

But, I must say, I like oranges, but I really don’t care for orange marmalade.

So, I decided to use peach marmalade and peach nectar

in place of the orange marmalade and the orange juice.
The Burnt Peach Buttercream came out amazingly delicious.

The aroma of this cake, and the taste is what I would call “Classy”.

It’s definitely a ‘fine’ cake…it’s 'pinky in the air' fine.

I think this cake will actually taste even better the following day.

Since the weather was warmer today, I decided to take a few photos along the canal.

I need to learn how to use my new Canon Rebel T1i…which means, I need to take lots of photos.

Thanks to my tripod, I can be the photographer & model all at once.

Being near the water is so soothing…

connecting with nature is so uplifting.

Baking has the same effect for me…its soothing and uplifting.

Check out the original recipe,

Roasted Pecan Cake with Orange Marmalade

and Burnt Orange Buttercream

(page 107), on

Leslie’s blog LETHALLY DELICIOUS

Don’t Forget to stop by the other SMS Bakers’ blogs and see their delicious interpretations of this recipe.

Note: To use the leftover egg yolks ~ See Creme Brulee Recipe on my blog.

So, till next Sunday…enjoy your week!

Peace in baking,
Carmen

Baking is my Zen
…sweet nibbles for the soul