Budget Creme Brulee
23 May 2012 in Cheap and cheerful, Desserts, Easy to prepare
Last year for my birthday my daughter gave me a blow torch, which has languished in the drawer ever since. I finally got around to using it and I was delighted with the crust on my creme brulees. It produced the required crunch when the spoon entered and the custard was creamy and delicious.
My cream cost R8.99 and the two eggs R2.70 so this is a very economical pud.
1 x 250ml tub of fresh cream
125mls milk
1/4 cup castor sugar + 1/3 cup for the topping
2 jumbo egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or essence
Heat your oven to 160 C
Beat the egg yolks until very pale and they look like this….
Beaten egg yolks
In a saucepan combine the cream, milk, sugar and the vanilla, heat until little bubbles start appearing on the outside.
Add to the beaten egg in small amounts whisking to combine.
Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins (mine are 7.5cm in diameter)
At this point if you have any bubbles on the surface, use the back of a spoon to disperse them.
Place the ramekins into a container deep enough to pour boiling water until it is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
In their water bath, about to go into the oven
Cover loosely with foil
Place in the oven for 40 minutes
Cooked
When cool place in the fridge to set
For the topping:
In a thick bottomed saucepan melt 1/3 cup of sugar over a low heat, be patient and don’t be tempted to stir it, although you can tilt the pan a little to help it along.
Pour the the melted sugar onto foil and leave to harden.
Melted sugar poured onto foil to harden
Once it is hard, peel off the foil and break it into smaller pieces and blitz in a blender or a coffee grinder until it resembles sugar.
Sprinkle over the ramekins (I used a tea strainer to catch any bits) You can of course just use castor sugar but the toffee sugar gives a really good crust and doesn’t take as long to brown.
Ready for the blow torch or grilling
Using a blow torch melt the topping and leave to harden. If you don’t have a blow torch then pop them under a grill, but keep your eye on them!
Serves 4
Ready to eat!
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book said on 23 May 2012
LOVE crème brulee! I must admit that I too very rarely use my blowtorch. I love the way you make your topping!
Mandy
Sous Chef said on 23 May 2012
I was trying to think of what else I can use it for?
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book said on 31 May 2012
More crème brulees… Honestly, I am so juvenile!
Mandy
Let’s see…
Charring peppers for easy peeling,
Heating chilled dessert tins for easier removal of puddings, ice creams, etc.,
Melting cheese on top of say mac ‘n cheese without further cooking,
“Roasting” chillies very quickly.
Sous Chef said on 31 May 2012
Hahaha! I have to make more tomorrow to take to Westville on Sat, having a family lunch for my son’s birthday
Some good suggestions, thanks Mandy.
Colonialist said on 23 May 2012
Cooks are downright dangerous people! Various cutting things and bashing things, and now incinerating things!
Sous Chef said on 23 May 2012
Yes, don’t mess with us!
Colonialist said on 27 May 2012
*confused* But cooks are an essential part of a mess, aren’t they?
Sous Chef said on 28 May 2012
Only if the chef went to Eton
adinparadise said on 23 May 2012
Lovely dessert. One of my favourites. Thanks for the recipe. It certainly is very economical the way you do it.
Sous Chef said on 23 May 2012
All the recipes I’ve seen use so much cream, I wanted to see if I could come up with a version that was lighter and budget friendly.
Healthy Vegetarian Foods By Usha Singh said on 23 May 2012
Oh My Sue this looks so divine, if only it could be made without eggs!!
Sous Chef said on 23 May 2012
Sorry Usha, how frustrating for you.
nina said on 24 May 2012
Ai Susie, you can cook my friend and making that interesting toffee topping is just proof again that you know your stuff….looks so yummy!
Sous Chef said on 24 May 2012
Thank you for such a lovely compliment Nina.
Tandy said on 24 May 2012
my favourite!
Sous Chef said on 24 May 2012
I know
mitzireddy said on 24 May 2012
Looks creamy and delicious, Sue
Sous Chef said on 24 May 2012
It was both those things Mitzy, it will become a regular in our house.
Debbie said on 24 May 2012
Love the topping.
I love my little blow torch FIL bought for me.I used mine to brown the meringue icing on Ginas birthday cupcakes.Also made a similar recipe brulee the other eve….delicious
Sous Chef said on 24 May 2012
That’s a good idea for another use, thanks.
Jess said on 24 May 2012
Besides for the impressive dessert, I’m curious to where you can buy cream for R8.99 – every shop I go to its between R11.99 and R13.99. I use a lot of cream for making ice cream.
Sous Chef said on 24 May 2012
Hi Jess, I get my cream from Checkers here in Pmb, it’s called Crystal Valley. It used to be R7.99 but they increased the price recently. Are you in Jhb or CT, cos everything seems to be much more expensive in the big cities.
Jess said on 28 May 2012
JHB – that would explain it. Next time I’m near a checkers I will check to see the price.
Sous Chef said on 28 May 2012
I also make ice cream, my Mum kindly gave me her ice cream maker which I hauled all the way from England in my suitcase! So I also look for cheap cream.
granny1947 said on 28 May 2012
I got all excited because I love that dessert.
Then I saw how muck work is involved…sigh
Sous Chef said on 28 May 2012
It’s not a lot of work, it’s a simple custard, you don’t have to do the toffee topping that I did. Just sprinkle castor sugar over the custard and put under the grill. It’s very easy, I promise!
celia said on 29 May 2012
Sue, I’ve never seen a creme brulee crust made like this, but it’s brilliant! I’ve only ever seen sugar sprinkled on top and heated, but it’s much harder to achieve the deep golden brown on top that way!
Sous Chef said on 30 May 2012
Hi Celia, if you make the toffee sugar it is much easier to get a nice brown crisp topping. I’ve tried brown sugar, brown sugar put through the blender to make it finer, castor sugar, etc. this way gets by far, the best results.
rumtumtigger said on 4 June 2012
I adore the way you made the caramel sugar! A definate must try. I get my cream from Fair Cape who has a factory on our doorstep for R6,99 per 250ml. Love it!
Sous Chef said on 4 June 2012
Wow that is good value for cream, making the toffee sugar makes for a lovely crust. I’ve made a jar full so I have it to hand for next time.
adinparadise said on 14 June 2012
These look wonderful. I love it when the topping is really crispy and brown.