Easy Chocolate Creme Brulee
chocolate!
Adapted from: https://pastryliving.com/chocolate-creme-brulee/
Ingredients
- 4.5 oz Dark chocolate (3/4 US cup, Cut into the size of chocolate chips)
- 8.5 oz Heavy cream (1 US cup)
- 8.5 oz Whole milk (1 US cup)
- 1/2 pod Vanilla beans
- 2.8 oz Egg yolk (about 5 eggs)
- 1 oz Granulated sugar (2.5 Tbsp)
- Some Granulated sugar for caramel on top (1 1/2 - 3/4 tsp for each 5-inch (12 cm) ramekin.)
Instructions
- Prepare hot simmering water to bake the creme brulee with a water bath. Preheat the oven to 300°F | 149°C.
- Melt the dark chocolate with the double boiler.
- In a medium saucepan, add heavy cream, milk, and vanilla beans (Scrape off the seeds inside and add them and the empty pod). Heat them at medium heat until it starts simmering gently. Pay close attention to the pot so that the liquids are not going to start boiling. We do not want the liquid to evaporate too much. Swirl the pot toward the end to ensure the temperature is even.
- Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until evenly mixed. Do not whip yolks too much, as you don't want too many air bubbles, which leads to a less silky texture.
- Pour some of the hot cream mixture into the melted chocolate and mix it well with a spatula until evenly blended. Add some of the liquid again and repeat the process until you finish adding all the cream mixture. (I did this 5 times)
- Pour some of the chocolate liquid into the yolk mixture and mix it with a whisk. Try not to mix vigorously to prevent them from containing too many air bubbles. Pour the rest of the chocolate liquid and mix. Scrape off the bottom and the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure it's evenly incorporated.
- Strain the filling with a fine mesh sieve to discard the vanilla pod and anything not-so-smooth.
- Pour it into ramekins equally.
- When you see a lot of air bubbles floating on the surface, pop them by gently heating them with a torch.
- Lay a thin cloth or paper towel on a tray so that the heat gets delivered more gently.
- Place it on a rack in the preheated oven, and place the filled ramekins onto it.
- Pour the hot water up to about half to 2/3 of the height of the ramekins.
- Bake at 300°F (149°C) for 20 - 25 minutes until it giggles like jello or custard pudding.
- Take them out carefully and cool them on a wire rack. Chill them in the fridge for more than a few hours.
- Spread sugar over the filling evenly and burn it with a torch to create a thin layer of caramel crisp. Wait for about a few minutes for the caramel and filling to cool down. As an option, top it with fresh berries, mint, or any ingredient you desire and enjoy!
Notes
- you probably need a real blowtorch. Those mini kitchen torches don't work so well
- try drying the sugar in the oven (on low heat, maybe after you turn it off from baking the custard). It will 'burn' much more easily