Crème Brûlée Tartlets Recipes

CRèME BRûLéE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Put the flour, a pinch of salt and the butter in a food processor and pulse until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the sugar and orange zest, and briefly pulse again. Pour in 2 tbsp of the egg mixture and pulse until the dough comes together, adding more liquid if needed.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line four deep-fluted tartlet tins (8 x 3cm). Place the tins on a tray and chill for 30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line each pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10-15 mins, until the sides are set. Remove the parchment and beans and cook for 5-10 mins. Leave to cool. Can be made up to 1 day ahead at this stage and be stored in an airtight container. Lower the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Pour the cream into a heavy-based saucepan, scrape in the seeds from the vanilla pod, then throw in the 2 halves of the pod. Heat until small bubbles begin to form around the sides of the pan, then leave to infuse for 5 mins. Remove the pod. In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar. Keep stirring, then pour in the cream, mixing until combined. Strain through a sieve into a jug. Pour the custard into the tart shells, then bake for 18-22 mins until almost set (they should be quite wobbly in the centre but will firm up on cooling). Leave to cool completely, then chill for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel topping. Grease a lipped metal baking tray with a little oil. Tip the caster sugar into a frying pan with 3 tbsp water and heat gently until the sugar starts to melt. Don't be tempted to stir the sugar, as this can encourage the caramel to crystalise. However, you can tilt the pan to move it around. Once the sugar is almost melted, turn up the heat and bubble the caramel to a deep golden-brown colour. Quickly tip onto the greased tray and leave to cool completely. Once cool, turn the tray upside down and tap to release the caramel. Break into pieces, then whizz in a food processor until you have fine crystals.
• Heat the grill. Scatter a thick layer of caramel crystals over the surface of each tart, and pop a collar of foil around the top edge of the pastry. Place under the grill, not too near the heat source, and let the caramel melt - watch carefully as they will burn easily. Leave to cool, then chill for 30 mins or until ready to serve.

CREME BRULEE TART

Steps:

• Roll the puff pastry 1/4-inch thick and pierce it all over with the tines of a fork. Line a flan ring with the pastry and chill the ring for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the flan ring with parchment paper or coffee filters and fill the shell with pie weights. Bake the pastry shell for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove the shell from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Remove the pie weights.
• Distribute the fruit evenly over the bottom of the shell, then pour in the Creme Brulee. Smooth the top with a long-bladed spatula.
• Just before serving, heat a caramel iron on the burner of a stove. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top and carefully caramelize the sugar with the hot iron. Alternately, place the tart under a hot broiler, near the heat, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sugar caramelizes. Or use a small blow torch to caramelize the sugar.
• In a large metal bowl set over a bain marie, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is light and thick enough to form a ribbon. This takes quite a long time; be strong and patient. Remove from the heat.
• Carefully whisk in the cream. Add the vanilla bean. Place the bowl back over the bain marie and cook slowly for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Take care that the water does not boil. The custard will be done when the mixture adheres to your fingers without dripping.
• When the custard is done, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a little at a time, until all of it has been incorporated. Strain through a fine strainer into a bowl. Chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch tart pan with 1-inch rim and removable bottom with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar with spoon until blended. Beat in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Pat and press dough very firmly with floured fingers in bottom and up side of tart pan. Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until crust is set in center but still pale. Cool 10 minutes. Using a flat-bottom measuring cup, carefully press to flatten partially baked dough in center and up sides.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat egg yolks, 1 egg and 3 tablespoons sugar with whisk. Beat in whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet. Pour egg mixture into partially baked crust. Carefully transfer to oven on baking sheet.
• Bake 30 to 34 minutes or until custard layer is just set. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours.
• Before serving, set oven control to broil. Cover crust edge with 2- to 3-inch wide strip of foil to prevent excessive browning. Sprinkle top of tart with 2 tablespoons sugar. Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet with top about 5 inches from heat. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until top is brown and sugar is melted. Remove from oven. Remove tart from pan. This recipe is best made the same day it is served.

TURBINADO CREME BRULEE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the graham crackers, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the crumbs are very fine, about 1 minute. Dump the crumbs into a medium bowl, then dust out the bowl of the food processor with a paper towel, and place the bowl and blade back on the machine.
• In a small heatproof bowl, combine the butter, 2 teaspoons water and the vanilla extract. Heat in the microwave on high power until the butter melts, about 45 seconds. Stir to blend, and then pour into the crumbs. Use a fork to toss the mixture until its evenly moistened; when you grab a fistful of crumbs and squeeze, it should hold together like damp sand (if not, add a bit more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until you get there). Turn the crust mixture into the tart pan, and pat into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press the crust firmly into place. Bake until lightly golden, fragrant and firm, about 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. In the bowl of the food processor, grind 6 tablespoons of the sugar until noticeably finer, about 1 minute (you'll notice a bit of sweet smoke rising up into the air from the processor-this is the sign that the sugar is breaking down). Add the yogurt, vanilla extract, orange zest, salt, eggs and cream cheese. Blend until perfectly smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
• Bake until the filling is set at the edges but still quite wobbly towards the center, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the tart on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill uncovered until very firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the ring from the tart pan and place the tart on a heatproof serving platter. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar over the surface of the tart and smooth it out evenly, covering the entire surface. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar, scorching a bit in spots. Let the sugar harden for a few minutes, then cut and serve.

CRANBERRY CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium heat 12-15 minutes or until berries pop, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce into each of eight 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins or custard cups; refrigerate 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce until serving., For custard, in a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly stir in hot cream. Stir in vanilla and remaining cream. , Place prepared ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Spoon custard over cranberry sauce. Place pan on oven rack; add 1 in. of very hot water to pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until set (centers will still be soft). Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Hold torch flame 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Gently blot surface of custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle tops with superfine sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until sugar is caramelized., Serve custards with remaining cranberry sauce.

CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• Make tart shell:
• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size lumps of butter. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir into flour (or pulse) until incorporated.
• Gently squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan and fold overhang inward to reinforce side. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork, then line with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until edge is pale golden and side is set, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Carefully remove weights and parchment and bake shell until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Remove tart shell from oven and reduce temperature to 300°F.
• Make filling:
• While shell bakes, split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a heavy medium saucepan with tip of a paring knife. Add pod to saucepan with cream and milk. Heat over medium heat until hot, then let steep off heat 30 minutes.
• Whisk together yolks, whole egg, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a quart measuring cup, then whisk into cream mixture until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into measuring cup.
• Put tart shell (in pan) in a 4-sided sheet pan. Put in oven, then pour custard into shell. Bake until just set but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes (custard will continue to set as it cools). Remove tart from sheet pan and cool on a rack 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour more.
• Just before serving, sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over top of tart. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just above top of tart, avoiding crust, until sugar is caramelized and slightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BLACK LICORICE CREME BRULEE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place eight 4-inch round flan rings (1 inch high each) on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; set aside.
• Make the tart shells: Process flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add eggs; process until dough just comes together. Shape dough into a disk; transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out eight 6-inch rounds, and fit into the flan rings. Patch cracks with leftover dough if needed. Refrigerate tart shells on baking sheet until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Prick bottoms of shells with fork tines. Bake on sheet until firm, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.
• Make the filling: Put cream and licorice into a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat, and stir. Cover, and let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reheat licorice cream over medium heat. Whisk egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk licorice cream into yolk mixture. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids. Pour mixture through another clean sieve into another bowl (do not press on solids), and stir in Pernod. Divide custard among tart shells. Bake on sheet until centers are just set, 14 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate tarts on sheet until cold, about 1 hour (up to overnight).
• Sift 1 teaspoon superfine sugar evenly over each tart. Hold a small handheld kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle 3 to 4 inches from surface of a tart, and move flame back and forth until sugar is caramelized and deep golden brown. Repeat with remaining tarts, and serve.

LEMON CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt for crust in a food processor to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Mix egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl; pour in through the chute and process until dough forms into a ball.
• Use floured hands to remove crust mixture and press into two 9-inch tart or pie pans, covering the bottoms and up the sides. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove crusts from the oven and line with foil and pie weights.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and loosely cover the crust edges with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for 15 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• While the crusts are cooling, prepare filling: Remove lemon zest in strips with from both lemons with a vegetable peeler. Set lemons aside for another use. Place zest in a medium saucepan with cream, milk, and vanilla paste; bring to a simmer, then turn off heat and cover.
• Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a 5-quart pot. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice together in a heat-proof bowl over the water until sugar has dissolved; make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Stir with a heat-resistant spatula until mixture is thick and pale yellow, with a consistency of heavy cream, about 8 minutes.
• Slowly stir in heavy cream-lemon zest mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickly coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read between 195 and 200 degrees F (91 to 93 degrees C).
• Dissolve gelatin in water in a small bowl. Stir gelatin mixture into the custard and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Strain custard through a fine sieve into a 2-quart measure. Pour into the cooled crusts and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar over each tart to within 1 inch of the outer edges. Brûlée with a torch until sugar bubbles and is caramelized. Refrigerate, uncovered, until topping hardens, about 10 minutes, before serving.

EGGNOG CREME-BRULEE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Roll out both disks of dough on a lightly floured surface to a scant 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter or an inverted bowl and a paring knife, cut out eight 4 1/2-inch disks. Fit into eight 3 1/4-inch ring tart molds, pressing into corners and up sides (do not trim edges). Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Meanwhile, bring cream and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk together yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl. Whisking constantly, ladle about one-half of hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Pour egg mixture into pan and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until thick enough for spoon drawn through it to leave a trail, 3 to 5 minutes (do not let boil). Strain mixture into a heatproof measuring cup; stir in brandy and nutmeg.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim dough shells flush with rims of tart molds. Line each shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; bake until golden and dry, about 1 minute more. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 300 degrees. Divide custard evenly among shells, filling each almost to top. Bake until custard is just set around edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in molds on a wire rack 30 minutes. Remove rings and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Sprinkle each tart with about 2 teaspoons superfine sugar. Hold a handheld kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches above surface and move flame in a circular motion until sugar is deep golden brown. Serve immediately.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CRèME BRûLéE TARTLETS

Steps:

• For crusts:
• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and ginger and process using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball and divide into 2 pieces. Flatten each into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out each dough disk on lightly floured surface to 6-inch round. Press into each of two 4 1/2-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, pressing to form double-thick sides. Pierce crusts all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake crusts until golden, piercing with fork if crusts bubble, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack. Immediately spoon 1/2 tablespoon preserves over bottom of each crust. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• For custard:
• Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add white chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk yolks and vanilla in medium bowl. Slowly whisk cream mixture into yolks to blend well. Divide custard between crusts. Bake tartlets until center is just set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack. Chill tartlets overnight.
• Preheat broiler. Sprinkle each tartlet with 1 teaspoon sugar. Broil just until sugar melts and browns, covering crusts with foil to prevent burning, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate tartlets until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Arrange raspberries around edge of tartlets.

PEAR CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• preheat oven to 400.
• To prepare pastry, place first 3 ingredients in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly add 2 tablespoons ice water through food chute, processing just until dough starts to come together. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press into a disk. Cover and chill 10 minutes in the freezer. Place dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; roll dough into a 10-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray; pierce dough with a fork. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• To prepare pastry cream, combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to milk mixture. Cook over medium-high heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Place egg in a large bowl. Gradually stir hot milk mixture into egg. Return milk mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until mixture reaches 185° and coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly. Discard vanilla bean. Spread pastry cream onto a baking sheet; cover entire surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until chilled. Spread pastry cream evenly into tart shell; cover and chill at least 2 hours or until set.
• To prepare topping, combine juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pears; toss well to coat. Place pears, cut side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool completely; thinly slice. Place on paper towels; pat dry with additional paper towels. Arrange the pear slices spoke-like over pastry cream. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup granulated sugar evenly over pears, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Holding a kitchen blowtorch about 2 inches from the top of custard, heat the sugar, moving the torch back and forth, until the sugar is melted and caramelized (about 3 minutes). Serve immediately.