Black and Tan Creme Brulee
The Nitty Gritty:
Creme brulee is not an everyday dessert, but it's super-impressive when pulled off at home.- Level: 2
- Prep Time: 30 min, plus 35 baking and several hours in fridge
- Yields: 4 servings
- Tags: dessert
To achieve creme brulee bliss, all you need is a little kitchen torch (which is really just an extra-powerful butane lighter — if you have a grill lighter, you could probably use that). Handheld kitchen torches to light your way, so to speak, are available at Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel , and even Target for $20-$40.
Traditional creme brulee is marvelous, but in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day (and your Irish HG chefs), I really wanted to find a way to create a Guinness creme brulee. What follows are the results of that experiment. First, three important things to remember:
1) Creme brulee is a custard, which requires baking, which ultimately requires precision. Be certain to follow the directions carefully. You’ll need four 4.5-oz. ramekins or shallow creme brulee dishes for serving.
2) In the spirit of #1, make sure you’ve whisked the egg yolks and sugar together well before adding the warm cream; otherwise you’ll get a really gritty custard (it’s not pretty).
3) Chill the custard very well after baking.
Ingredients:
- 4 whole egg yolks
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, such as Ghirardelli
- 15 ounces Guinness, from 1 can
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ Tbsp. Sugar in the Raw or superfine sugar
- The finished custards in ramekins, ready for the oven.
- Be sure you maintain a decent distance with the torch.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Chop half the chocolate into small pieces; set the rest aside.
Pour the Guinness into a saucepan and heat on medium-high until it is reduced to 1/4 cup.
Meanwhile, heat cream in second saucepan. Add chopped chocolate and bring to a simmer slowly. As the cream is heating, whisk yolks together in a mixing bowl with the sugar.
Once the Guinness is reduced and the cream/sugar/chocolate mixture is simmering, gradually pour the cream mixture into the mixing bowl, then add the Guinness, whisking to combine. Add the salt and cinnamon.
Pour mixture evenly into the four ramekins. Fill a baking pan just less than halfway with hot water, place carefully in oven, and place ramekins in pan. (The water should be about halfway up the sides of the ramekins).
Bake for 20-25 minutes. The custards are done when are just short of firm (not much "wiggle" when you give the pan a nudge.) Move the ramekins to the fridge and chill for a several hours.
When ready to serve, divide the Sugar in the Raw or superfine sugar between the four ramekins, spreading evenly across each custard and shaking excess off into the sink. Fire away with your torch, first from farther away to melt the sugar, then from closer range to burn the sugar to a pleasant amber hue. (Don't overdue it.) The sugar should form a crackly-crisp veneer over the custard. Garnish with the leftover chocolate pieces and serve.
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By Lauren McNally
Lauren B. McNally is a New York based consultant and freelance writer who spends most of her free time exploring culinary and oenological pursuits with friends. She originally hails from Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College,spending time abroad at the University of Cambridge in the UK (where she found the dining hall cuisine rather offensive and repulsive, as opposed to the top-ranked Bowdoin Dining Services). Her palate is ever-evolving but Burgundies are among her current obsessions. Her least favorite wine-related phrase: “I don’t like _.” Lauren also enjoys cooking Italian and French cuisine, and has an unnatural obsession with Gorgonzola and pancetta.
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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