Coffee Creme Brulee

There is something so timeless about a dessert that has just a very few and basic ingredients. But every time you have a spoonful of it, you know it will always be your most favorite. I love tasting, sampling, and preparing all the fancy-looking desserts or sweets that I see or taste. Who else here thinks a patisserie is their own Disneyland?

But, Creme Brulee had me at the first mouthful. The slightly hard crusty top layer of caramelized sugar, the absolute creamy texture of the dessert itself, and perfectly sweet taste, without being too overwhelming- this is what a perfect dessert is. 

While I love the classic Creme Brulee, I tried this version with a little bit of coffee to add both the flavor and a slight sweet-bitterness to the taste. If you want to prepare the classic version just omit the coffee. If you feel experimental, try adding some black-tea instead of the coffee too, and you might just be surprised by the taste. Creme Brulee is best prepared in individual ramekins or cupcake mould. The center needs to be slightly jiggly, and the outer portion slightly tart. When prepared in a bigger pie tin or a cake tin the taste remains almost the same, but smaller individual portions ensure perfect pleasure for everyone in each individual bite. 

My Creme Brulee might look a little burnt on the sides, it is actually the sugar and coffee getting caramelized more in certain areas, especially at the sides.

Yield: 10 

Ingredients:

600 ml fresh cream

3/4 cup sugar +extra for the caramelized top

5 whole eggs

3 heaped tsp coffee 

50 gm butter soft

2 tsp vanilla essence (or pods)

Method:

Powder the sugar. Blend the sugar and butter, then add the eggs one by one. Mix it till it forms a nice creamy texture and peaks form. 

Separately, boil the cream. If using vanilla pods, add the vanilla pods at this stage. Keep stirring. Once the cream is boiled and it starts sticking and bubbling from the sides, give it a good stir. Make sure it does not stick or burn from the bottom. Turn off the gas. Let it cool slightly but stir in between so that the top skin does not form. (About 10-15 minutes)

Preheat the oven at 170 degrees for 10 minutes.

Mix the coffee in a little warm water (about 3- 4 spoons) and mix it with the cream. If using vanilla essence add the essence at this point. If you were using vanilla pods, remove the pods at this point. 

Now keep adding the cream to the egg, sugar mix slowly, stirring all the while. Do it slowly, and keep stirring, else the eggs will start getting cooked. Give this mix a nice stir, you will get a nice creamy flowing custard consistency. 

Now pour this mix on your ramekin or cupcake moulds. Use only steel or bone-china moulds for Creme Brulee. This is important, especially when caramelizing the top. Pour the mix almost to the top of each individual cup. Bake this for 35-40 minutes at 170 degrees in a water bath.

Check to see if it is done, depending on the depth and size of your cups there might be slight variations in the time needed for this to be done. When the same is done the center will jiggle slightly but the dessert will look well done from the sides. 

Now take it out and let it cool. Sprinkle some sugar on the top. Make sure it is even and covers the dessert properly. 

If you have a blow torch, now is the most satisfying part. Just torch to melt the sugar, but be careful. 

If you don't have a blow torch, put the ramekins back into the oven at 200 degrees for about 3-5 minutes, the sugar should melt. If needed add a few minutes extra till the top layer of sugar is properly melted and caramelized. Let it cool, chill in the fridge overnight, or at least for a few hours. 

**Water Bath means, put water in a tray. Add the baking tin on top of this tray. The water should ideally rise up to cover half of the baking tin.