Chocolate Eden : Crème Brûlée

Many people think making Crème Brûlée at home is beyond their reach, but they are mistaken. My theory is that Crème Brûlée appears on so many restaurants dessert menus not only because it’s so darn delicious, but also because it’s really simple to make. All the restaurants and bakeries shops offer Crème Brûlée in some form or another. Because it’s such an iconic dessert, pastry chefs like to add their own signature element by flavoring it, layering it within a dessert, or otherwise tinkering with it. I’ll admit that I’ve flavored it with everything from ginger to white chocolate or coffee. But for me the hands-down best way to enjoy Crème Brûlée is in its most elementary form: flavored only with Lindt White Chocolate. I don’t want to suggest the alternative of white chocolate, because it just wouldn’t be the same!

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks

65 gr sugar

Pinch of salt

2 cups heavy cream

1 bar Lindt Swiss Classic White Chocolate, chopped

Sugar to caramelize, approximately 1 teaspoon per rameki

Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C. Place 6 ramekins in a heat-proof baking pan, deep enough to fill with water to middle of ramekin. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a heat-proof bowl.

Heat heavy cream to a light simmer and add chopped chocolate; stir or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Slowly pour the hot cream into egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously.

Strain and pour the liquid into the ramekins waiting in the baking pan and place that on the oven rack in oven. Fill the baking dish with hot water until it reaches the middle of the ramekins. This method prevents water from “sloshing” into the crème brûlée mixture.

Bake 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool, and refrigerate. The recipe can be made the day before serving.

Caramelize just before serving.

(http://www.lindt.com)