fun
cooking
MAPLE CRÈME BRÛLÉE
ACTIVE: 35 min l TOTAL: 1 hr 25 min (plus 2 hr chilling)
SERVES: 4
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds
scraped out (pod reserved)
4 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
(grade A; dark or robust)
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon maple extract
Pinch of salt
- Preheat the oven to 325 ̊. Bring the heavy cream
and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the
heat and let sit 15 minutes; remove the vanilla pod.
- Make the custard: Whisk the egg yolks, maple syrup,
sugar, maple extract and salt in a medium bowl until
smooth. Gradually add ½ cup of the warm cream
mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Whisk
in another ½ cup, then whisk in the rest. Strain through
a fine-mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup.
- Set four 6-ounce ramekins in a large roasting pan;
divide the custard among the ramekins. Carefully
pour boiling water into the roasting pan so it comes
halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the
roasting pan with foil and carefully transfer to
the oven. Bake until the custard is set but the
centers still jiggle slightly, 30 to 40 minutes.
Uncover and remove the ramekins from
the water bath; transfer to a baking sheet
and let cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate until chilled and set,
at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Working with one ramekin at a
time, sprinkle the custard with
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar and
melt with a kitchen torch,
moving the flame back and
forth over the sugar until
melted. Let harden, about
5 minutes.
Crème
Brûlée
72 FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE ●NOVEMBER 2019