Butterscotch Crème Brûlée Recipe 425

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Make the butterscotch: melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and the salt can cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook until the mixture breaks apart and then comes together again and just begins to smoke.
• Immediately pour in the heavy cream. It will bubble and spit, so be careful, and the mixture may harden up. Just keep stirring over medium-low heat until all the butterscotch melts back into the cream.
• Whisking constantly, temper the butterscotch mixture into the egg yolks.
• Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract.
• (Optional Step)For creamiest results, refrigerate the custard overnight.
• Preheat oven to 275F. Place a tea towel in the bottom of a half-sheet pan, folding the edges in so they don't hang over the rim of the pan. Bring a quart of water to a boil.
• Strain custard through a fine mesh strainer into a spouted measuring cup.
• Divide the custard evenly among four 5oz ramekins. Pass the flame of your kitchen torch over the surface of the custard to pop any bubbles.
• Place the filled ramekins on the tray and put the tray in the oven.
• Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Take care not to splash any water into the custard.
• Bake until custards are set around the edges and still a little jiggly in the centers, about 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven.
• Remove the ramekins to a cooling rack. I use silicone tongs to grab them by the handles, leaving the water bath in the oven to clean up after it has cooled off.
• Once the custards have cooled, chill for at least 2 hours. Cover once they have reached refrigerator temperature.
• When ready to serve, remove the custards from the fridge. If there is any condensation on the surfaces, use the corner of a paper towel to wick it away.
• Pour a generous spoonful of either dark brown or granulated sugar onto each custard. If using granulated sugar, tilt the ramekins to completely cover the tops of the custard. Pour off any excess sugar. If using dark brown sugar, use your fingers or an offset spatula to carefully spread a thin, even layer of sugar over each custard.
• Use your kitchen torch to first melt and then evenly (as evenly as possible, anyway) caramelize the sugar.
• Allow to cool off for maybe 1 1/2 minutes before serving. This allows the caramel to harden into a lovely sheet of edible glass. Use the side of your spoon to crack through and enjoy.

CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons white sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.
• Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.
• Pour cream mixture into the top pan of a double boiler. Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat immediately and pour into a shallow heat-proof dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to broil.
• In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE (LIGHT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the insides. Heat half-and-half and vanilla bean (all of it, including the husk) on medium-high until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar together with butterscotch liqueur. Gradually stream some of the hot cream and vanilla mixture into the bowl while constantly stirring. Keep stirring to keep egg from scrambling. Continue until both mixtures are fully incorporated.
• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer and equally divide between 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a deep baking pan. Add enough water to come to halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes, until the surface is set but still trembling when shaken.
• Allow to cool slightly, then move to refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• When ready to finish, remove from refrigerator and place at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Distribute 1 tablespoon of sugar on the surface of each ramekin. Gently rotate and tap the sides of each ramekin if necessary.
• Using a brulee torch set to the highest setting, gradually melt the sugar on the surface of each ramekin. The sugar will bead up and turn to liquid form; move the torch to another area if the sugar starts to blacken. Some blackening is desirable. After going over the surface, some unmelted sugar will remain. Go back over these areas with the torch until they're melted, but stop if it turns black.
• Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the insides. Heat heavy cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean (all of it, including the husk) on medium-high until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar together with butterscotch liqueur. Gradually stream some of the hot cream and vanilla mixture into the bowl while constantly stirring. Keep stirring to keep egg from scrambling. Continue until both mixtures are fully incorporated.
• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer and equally divide between 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a deep baking pan. Add enough water to come to halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes, until the surface is set but still trembling when shaken.
• Allow to cool slightly, then move to refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• When ready to finish, remove from refrigerator and place at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Distribute 1 tablespoon of sugar on the surface of each ramekin. Gently rotate and tap the sides of each ramekin if necessary.
• Using a brulee torch set to the highest setting, gradually melt the sugar on the surface of each ramekin. The sugar will bead up and turn to liquid form; move the torch to another area if the sugar starts to blacken. Some blackening is desirable. After going over the surface, some unmelted sugar will remain. Go back over these areas with the torch until they're melted, but stop if it turns black.
• Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

OLD-FASHIONED BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine cream, milk and brown sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until mixture turns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Slowly pour cream mixture into caramel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Bring to boil, whisking frequently to dissolve any caramel bits. Remove from heat.
• Beat yolks in large bowl. Whisk in caramel mixture. Stir in vanilla and salt. Strain custard. Skim any air bubbles from surface. Refrigerate custard until cold, about 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide custard among six 3/4-cup custard cups. Place cups in roasting pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake pudding until set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove cups from pan. Cool at room temperature 2 hours. Cover; chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)