Burnt Orange Creme Brulee

Yesterday I shared my review for Andrea Jourdan's 150 Best Desserts in a Jar. If you didn't get a chance to read it, you can find my review, and a recipe for Peach and Mango Parfaits, here. I really liked the sounds of almost all of these recipes, and couldn't just share one for you to try!

The second recipe I chose to share with you was a Burnt Orange Creme Brulee. Creme brulee has always been one of my favourite desserts. This is a great twist on the classic that I'm used to!

Burnt Orange Creme Brulee

 

Burnt Orange Crème Brûlée, page 59

The best crème brûlée I ever tasted was at the now defunct but still memorable Léon de Lyon restaurant in France. I could never reproduce the exact texture and, unfortunately, was never allowed to learn their secret. After years of trying to create the perfect crème brûlée, I finally came up with a recipe that I like enough to share. As for Léon’s crème brûlée — well, it might just have been the sweet Muscat wine I drank with it that made it taste so good. 

 

Tip: If you do not have a kitchen torch, preheat broiler. Place jars on baking sheet; sprinkle with a little brown sugar and place under broiler until golden. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining brown sugar, top with orange slices and place under broiler for about 2 minutes, until sugar browns to a dark color.

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C)
• Four 8-ounce (250 mL) wide-mouth jars, buttered
• Baking pan large enough to accommodate the jars
• Kitchen torch, optional (see Tip)
6 large egg yolks 6
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar 125 mL
11⁄2 cups heavy or whipping (35%) cream 375 mL
2⁄3 cup whole milk 150 mL
2 tbsp finely grated orange zest 30 mL
1 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur 15 mL
3 tbsp packed brown sugar, divided 45 mL
1 orange, sliced thinly 1 

1. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, milk and orange zest to a simmer. Gradually add to egg yolk mixture, whisking until incorporated. Stir in orange liqueur.
3. Pour custard into prepared jars, dividing equally. Place jars in baking pan, spaced evenly apart and not touching the sides of the pan, and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until center of custards is still wobbly. Remove from oven and transfer jars to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cover jars with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Place jars on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over each custard. Using kitchen torch, burn sugar just until it melts. Place orange slices over melted sugar. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar, dividing equally. Using torch, heat until sugar has caramelized and orange rind is a little burnt. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Excerpted from 150 Best Desserts in a Jar by Andrea Jourdan © 2013 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca May not be reprinted without publisher permission. Credit for photos: Philip Jourdan

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Disclosure: I received the item in this post free of cost for review purposes. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.