Best Silken Lemon Creme Brulee Recipes

LEMON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. From lemons, remove 6 strips peel (3"by 1" each)and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat cream, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel over med.-high heat just until simmering. Remove saucepan from heat;cover and let stand 15 minutes.(Cream will develop a thin skin on top;whisk in when mixing into egg yolks.) Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel;discard.
• In large bowl, with whisk or fork, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt until blended.Whisk for one minute(you don't want it to be grainy from the sugar, it should be smooth)Beat in warm cream mixture and lemon juice. Pour custard in six 3-oz. broiler safe ramekins or custard cups.
• Place ramekins in 13"by9" baking pan,carefully pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or just until set (mixture will still be slightly soft in center). Remove ramekins from baking pan; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until well chilled.
• Up to 4 hours before serving, preheat broiler. In small bowl, combine cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle tops of chilled custards with sugar mixture.
• Place ramekins on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet with ramekins in broiler at closest position to source of heat and broil 1 to 2 minutes until sugar melts and browns slightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours. If not served within 4 hours, sugar topping will lose its crispness.

SILKEN CREME BRULEE (WITH 12 VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Whisk together first 4 ingredients until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture evenly into 5 (5"x1") round ramekins or custard cups. Place cups in a large roasting pan or a 15x10" jellyroll pan. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. (Tip: All baking times are for 5"x1" round baking dishes. Adjust baking time more or less according to your cup size. See test for doneness in next paragraph.) As a general rule, 4 oz. cups yield 10 servings, 6 oz. cups yield 7 servings and 8 oz. cups yield 5 servings.).
• Bake at 300 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool custards in water in pan on a wire rack. Carefully remove from pan; cover and chill 8 hours. (Tip: Baking times may need to be adjusted according to size of the baking cups. The creme brulee is done when the center is slightly liquid and a knife will NOT come out clean.).
• Sprinkle about 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar over each custard then place custards in a jellyroll pan.
• Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat (if using an electric oven, leave door partially open) until sugar melts. (Tip: When you broil the brown sugar, get the creme brulee as close to the heating element as possible. You may need to place an inverted roasting pan on the top shelf of the oven; then place the brulee on a baking sheet on top to elevate. A chef's secret is to nestle the custards in a pan filled with ice; then broil. The ice keeps the custards cold while the sugar melts.) Let stand 5 minutes to allow sugar to harden. Garnish, if desired.
• ALMOND CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon; add 1 additional egg yolk, 2 tablespoons almond liqueur and 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds to custard mixture. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 1 hour.
• CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE:.
• Cook 4 ounces semisweet chocolate squares and 1/2 cup whipping cream from the basic recipe in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 55 minutes.
• BERRY CREME BRULEE:.
• Place 8 - 10 fresh blackberries or raspberries in each baking dish; pour custard mixture over berries. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 45 minutes.
• COFFEE CREME BRULEE:.
• Cook 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules and 1/4 cup whipping cream from the basic recipe over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until coffee dissolves. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups whipping cream; reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Proceed as directed in the basic recipe; bake 45 - 50 minutes.
• DOUBLE RASPBERRY CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspooon; add 1 additional egg yolk and 1 1/2 tablespoon raspberry liqueur to custard mixture. Place 8 - 10 fresh raspberries in each baking dish; pour custard mixture over berries. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 55 minutes.
• GINGER CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon; add 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger to custard mixture. Proceed as directed in the basic recipe; bake 1 hour and 5 minutes.
• ORANGE CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon; add 1 additional egg yolk, 2 tablespoons grated orange rind and 2 tablespoons almond liqueur to custard mixture. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 1 hour.
• PEPPERMINT CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon; add 1 additional egg yolk and 3 tablespoons peppermint schnapps. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 50 minutes. Substitute 5 hard peppermint candies, crushed (in place of brown sugar); broil as directed.
• WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA CREME BRULEE:.
• Cook 4 ounces white chocolate and 1/2 cup whipping cream froom basic recipe in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; reduce vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Proceed as directed in basic recipe. Place 1 tablespoon chopped macadamias, toasted, in each dish then pour custard over nuts. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• ONION CREME BRULEE:.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over low heat; add 1 cup coarsely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until caramelized. Reduce sugar in basic recipe to 1 tablespoon, omit vanilla and add 1 teaspoon salt and caramelized onion to the custard mixture. Process onion mixture in a blender until smooth. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 50 minutes.
• ROASTED GARLID CREME BRULEE:.
• Cut off the flat end of 2 garlic bulbs and spread apart whole cloves, leaving tight outer covering intact. Trim pointed end so bulb will sit flat. Place garlic bulbs, trimmed ends down, on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil; wrap in aluminum foil. Bake 350 dgrees for 1 hour; cool. Squeeze out pulp from each garlic clove. Reduce sugar in basic recipe to 1 tablespoon; omit vanilla and add 1 teaspoon salt and garlic pulp to custard mixture. Process mixture in a blender until smooth. Proceed as directed in basic reicpe; bake 40 minutes.
• BLUE CHEESE AND BLACK PEPPER CREME BRULEE:.
• Reduce sugar in basic recipe to 1 tablespoon and omit vanilla; add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup blue cheese and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to custard mixture. Process mixture in a blender until smooth. Proceed as directed in basic recipe; bake 45 minutes.

CLASSIC CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Using tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean, if using, into cream and add pod (if using vanilla extract, do not add it yet). Heat cream over moderate heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat and discard pod.
• Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and whisk in vanilla extract, if using. Ladle custard into ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. With tongs, transfer custards to a rack to cool, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours.
• Just before serving, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over custards. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth close to sugar until sugar is caramelized. Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Variation:
• Coffee Crème Brûlée: Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.

LEMON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 300°F.
• Line a shallow baking pan with a kitchen towel.
• Have a pot of boiling water ready.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the lemon juice to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the juice is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, lemon zest and the 1/2 cup sugar.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until steam rises, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk together the vanilla and egg yolks until smooth and combined.
• Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking constantly, then stir in the reduced lemon juice.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and divide among six 3 1/2 ounce ramekins.
• Place the ramekins in the prepared baking pan and add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the ramekins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool the custards to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours, then refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over the surface of each custard.
• Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer's instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns.
• Serve immediately.

THE BEST CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Line a large heavy roasting pan (a turkey roasting pan works great) with a clean kitchen towel and place 4 six-ounce ramekins on top of the towel spaced a few inches apart.
• Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Using the back of a paring knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from both halves of the pod. Add the seeds and pod to the cream. Whisk in the salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• Vigorously whisk the yolks and 3 more tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer on high speed and beat until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Whisking the yolks constantly, add a couple of teaspoons at a time from 1 cup of the hot cream, then increase to a steady stream until the cream is fully incorporated. (Don't pour too much hot cream at once or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.) The yolks are now tempered. Whisk the tempered yolks back into the remaining hot cream until combined. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or medium pitcher for easier pouring; discard the vanilla pods.
• Skim the foam off the top of the custard by placing a clean paper towel on top and lightly pressing down so it touches the surface and absorbs some of the liquid. This will make for a completely smooth and silky custard. Fill the ramekins with the custard, about 3/4 cup per ramekin.
• Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins without getting any water in the custard. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the custard is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center, 35 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate until very cold, about 3 hours.
• Just before serving, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the top of a custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above the surface. Starting in the center of the ramekin, move the flame in a circular motion and work your way out to the edges to caramelize the sugar. Repeat with the remaining sugar and custards.
• Alternatively, arrange a rack in the top position of the oven and heat the broiler on high. Place the ramekins on a rack set inside a baking sheet and broil until deep golden brown, 15 to 60 seconds, checking every 10 seconds.
• Freeze the custards for 5 minutes before serving (see Cook's Note).

LEMON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, heat cream until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar and salt until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream. Stir in lemon zest and extract., Place five 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour egg mixture into ramekins. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of top of ramekins. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (centers will still be soft), 45-50 minutes., Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes before serving., To caramelize topping in a broiler, preheat broiler and place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat until sugar is caramelized, 2-3 minutes. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes before serving.

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.
• Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
• To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.