Thyme Infused Créme Brulee Recipes

THYME CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a heavy bottomed pot bring cream just to the boil. Remove from heat, and add thyme and let sit for several minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl. Place the mixing bowl on top of a towel to keep it from wobbling while whisking in hot liquid. Gently whisk 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, to temper the yolks and prevent lumps take care not to make an excessive amount of bubbles. While gently whisking, slowly pour the remainder of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. With a spoon, skim off any bubbles that may have come to the surface.
• Evenly space the ramekins on a paper towel-lined baking dish to prevent ramekins from sliding. Fill each ramekin to just below the top. Place on the extended middle rack of the oven. Carefully pour hot tap water into the baking dish until 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to get any water on the custard mixture. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and very gently slide it towards the center of the rack. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Uncover and let the custards cool in the water bath until they are cool enough to handle. Remove. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (see Cook's Note**).
• Evenly top each custard with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Burn the sugar with a blowtorch or hot branding iron. It is important that the sugar layer is thick enough and goes all the way to the edge of the ramekin; any exposed custard can burn and curdle. Serve shortly after burning the sugar so that the burnt sugar doesn't soften.

CINNAMON AND ORANGE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, combine the cream, half the sugar, the orange zest, thyme and cinnamon stick. Whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. (This will infuse the cream with all the aromatics.)
• Whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until it becomes a homogeneous mixture. Slowly strain the cooled infused cream into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
• Arrange 4 wide, flat 6-ounce ramekins (with 1-inch sides) in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Carefully fill the ramekins with the custard mixture. Add hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• CAREFULLY place the pan in the oven and bake until the custard is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center but not liquid, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, remove the ramekins and chill the custards completely, at least 1 hour.
• Dust the top of each custard with an even layer of sugar and burn the sugar with a blowtorch. The sugar will harden, turn brown and become crunchy. Torch the custards just before serving.

THYME-INFUSED CRéME BRULEE

Steps:

• In a pot over medium-low heat, bring cream to a simmer (DO NOT LET BOIL!).
• Remove from heat and add thyme; let steep several minutes, then discard thyme.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar about 3 minutes until thick and pale yellow.
• Very, very gradually whisk the hot cream into the yolk-sugar mixture. DO NOT ADD HOT CREAM QUICKLY OR IT WILL COOK THE EGGS.
• Distribute custard between 4 (6-oz) ramekins.
• Place ramekins in a shallow baking pan and fill pan with hot tap water to halfway up sides of ramekins, being careful not to let water splash into custards.
• Bake at 325F approximately 35 min until custards are just set around the edges with slightly jiggly centers.
• Remove from oven and let ramekins cool in the water bath 10 min, then chill custards in the fridge at least an hour.
• Sprinkle 1 Tbs sugar over each custard.
• Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above each custard until sugar browns and forms a crust.
• Serve immediately.