Espresso Creme Brulee Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine cream, milk, granulated sugar, and espresso. Using a spoon, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into cream mixture and whisk to combine. Add vanilla bean to saucepan and bring cream mixture to almost a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and discard.
• Whisk yolks together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk cream mixture into yolks. Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve into a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Place four 5-ounce ramekins in a baking dish. Divide custard evenly between ramekins and transfer baking dish to oven. Fill baking dish with enough hot water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until centers only move slightly when ramekins are gently shaken, about 2 hours. Remove ramekins from baking dish and let cool completely. Transfer custards to refrigerator until chilled.
• Sprinkle turbinado sugar over chilled custards. Using a small kitchen torch, torch the sugar until caramelized. Alternatively, preheat a broiler and place under broiler until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, add the heavy cream, espresso powder and vanilla bean paste. Bring to a light simmer, then let simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and cool to room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until combined and lighter in color. Slowly add the cooled cream mixture, whisking constantly. Place eight 6-ounce ramekins in a large roasting pan or baking dish. Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Place the roasting pan in the oven, then pour hot water into the bottom of the roasting pan, enough so the water comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until set and just a teensy bit jiggly, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let cool on the counter until they reach room temperature, then place the ramekins in the fridge for 2 hours to chill. If storing longer (up to 2 days), tightly wrap each ramekin in plastic wrap to ensure freshness.
• Evenly sprinkle the top of each ramekin with the turbinado sugar. Using a brulee torch, melt the sugar until it bubbles and turns dark golden brown. This will form a crunchy top. Let sit a few minutes. Serve topped with some crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Using tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean, if using, into cream and add pod (if using vanilla extract, do not add it yet). Heat cream over moderate heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat and discard pod.
• Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and whisk in vanilla extract, if using. Ladle custard into ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. With tongs, transfer custards to a rack to cool, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours.
• Just before serving, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over custards. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth close to sugar until sugar is caramelized. Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Variation:
• Coffee Crème Brûlée: Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.