Who doesn't love a delicious crème brûlée?
Crème brûlée is a French dessert composed of a rich and creamy custard base that is topped with a layer of caramel that becomes hard and brittle.
The caramel topping adds a slight burnt sugar flavour and crunch to the dessert.
This elegant dessert is typically served chilled and can be garnished with various toppings such as fresh berries or chocolate shavings.
This festive season, get baking and make this mouth-watering crème brûlée courtesy of chef Thapelo Majafe, the person behind the Cradle Boutique Hotel restaurant’s sweet treats.
Popcorn-infused creme brûlée
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup full cream milk
4 cups popped buttered popcorn
6 egg yolks
⅓ cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Place the cream and milk in a medium pot and bring to a low simmer.
Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, add the popped buttered popcorn to the cream/milk mixture, and stir. Take off the heat.
Allow the cream and milk mixture to steep with the popcorn for an hour and then strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a small pitcher or liquid measure, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon or ladle to release as much liquid as possible.
Place the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and whip with a whisk until pale in colour.
Add a small amount of the warm popcorn-infused cream/milk, whisking, to temper the yolks.
Continue to add the hot cream/milk into the yolks, slowly, while whisking, until completely incorporated, and warm to the touch.
Place four 200 ml ramekins in a baking dish and pour the custard mixture into the ramekins, dividing the mixture equally. Place the baking dish with the ramekins in the preheated oven and carefully pour hot water into the baking dish, allowing it to come to about half the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the custard is set.
Cool completely, sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar, and Brulee with a torch or under the grill until brown and caramelised.
Have you checked out the latest IOL Food & Drinks digital magazine? Read it here.