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<title>Creme Brulee, Chef Bob Ballantyne, The Cowboy and The Rose Catering, Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</title></head>
<body><p>The subject of dessert comes up around our house a lot. Both my wife
and I enjoy Crème brûlée so I make a lot of it. And make many many
variations. Most come out good, a few come out great, once and a while you
get a spectacular, and sometimes it hits the trash can!</p>
<p>Since we live in a valley we are pretty protected from a lot of the harsh
weather. This enables the fall raspberries to bear fruit for a long time.
So I decided to exploit the remaining fall red raspberries for this dessert.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/raspchamb.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>I start by reducing some raspberries down, adding in a cup of sugar, 1/4 of
honey and 1/4 of Chambord, I will add a little water if the sugar wants to
stick. After it starts to simmer I add a 1/8 tsp salt.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/reducing.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Once the reduction is complete I have to strain those seed out of the infused
fruit jelly. Then line the French White bottoms with the jelly and allow
it to cool completely while I prepare the custard.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/strainedrd.jpg" width="398" height="244"></p>
<p>If this was a top layer I would use a torch to burst the air bubbles out of
the fruit jelly. But since they are a bottom offering, no reason to spend
a lot of time on a few bubbles. They sure look very nice against that
French White.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/frenchwhtrasp.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Now onto the custard. Few things pisses-me-off more than not taking the
time to do the custard correctly. You have a dish here were the egg is the
main character. So take the time to remove the chalazae and the yolk
membrane. Have a quart of heavy cream, 1 cup vanilla sugar, 1 Tahitian
vanilla bean, split and scrapped, and 6 egg yolks, prepared properly.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/yolkcream.jpg" width="279" height="421"></p>
<p>Bring the cream and everything else except the eggs to a simmer. Allow
it to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and all to cool below 185
degrees. Once it has cooled a little you can start to temper the eggs.
Once an egg yolk is tempered it will not coagulate until it reaches 185 F.
Which means this custard needs protection while in the oven. That is where
the water bath comes into play. Surrounded in water, the French White
allows the heat transfer without the yolk custard coagulating from the higher
350 F heat of the oven.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/waterbath.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>I am just using a round cake pan to form that Bains Marie for the custard
setting process. Always add the water last. And I always add hot
water. I think it keeps the top from being exposed to the 350 F oven
longer than necessary.</p>
<p>When they come out of the Bains Marie if you have done it correct they should
look like this.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/smbrulee.jpg" width="286" height="270"></p>
<p>Now I had a little more custard than I thought. Actually I swapped
location on my 3.75 and 4.25 French White Cups so I was using the smaller cups
leaving some extra. Since I sacrificed a Tahitian Vanilla Bean for this
custard I am going to turn it all into something to eat. So I pulled a
couple of my large flat French Whites and filled them and cooked them off in a
Bains Marie as well.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/lgbrule.jpg" width="304" height="295"></p>
<p>Now to finish this dish you have to add the magic! The magic is burnt
sugar. For this dish to taste correctly you have to chill this custard
down to 36 F or so in the reefer. Then you pull, sugar and burn!</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/cremesugrd.jpg" width="409" height="213"></p>
<p>You will here all kinds of sugar types and mixtures recommended for this
dish. People want part brown sugar, some want turbinado, some want
ultra-fine, etc etc. I don't care what you use, I use straight white cane
sugar. My favorite to do this dish with and I like the top. Most
people are trying to avoid the burnt part. I like the burnt sugar, it
really adds to the dish. Anyway whatever sugar you like, you put the torch
to it.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/torching.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Now you go round and round until all the granulated sugar has been liquefied
then do the other one. Now when it is done there can be no granulated
sugar anywhere on this thing. Period, end of discussion, NONE, bring it to
me with a granule of sugar, you did it wrong! It should look like this
when you complete it. But see that hole on the one on the left? That
has to be hit again with the torch. That is uncooked sugar and is not
allowed.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/done.jpg" width="445" height="336"> </p>
<p>Now I mentioned that the custard had to be chilled. Part of the magic
of this dish done correctly and served on time is the temperature contrast.
You have this incredible silkiness of the custard that is cold, you have this
upfront sugary, burnt marshmallow taste, this warm sugar caramel, this crunchy
mouth feel wrapped in the silkiness, and raspberry and vanilla oh my! It
is just plain heaven!</p>
<p>'til we talk again, make a nice custard dessert. The egg is the best
priced protein we have in the world. Get out there are use it. It
performs for breakfast, dinner, supper, and dessert! It is a perfect food!</p>
<p>Chef Bob Ballantyne<br>
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering<br>
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</p>
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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<title>Creme Brulee, Chef Bob Ballantyne, The Cowboy and The Rose Catering, Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</title></head>
<body><p>The subject of dessert comes up around our house a lot. Both my wife
and I enjoy Crème brûlée so I make a lot of it. And make many many
variations. Most come out good, a few come out great, once and a while you
get a spectacular, and sometimes it hits the trash can!</p>
<p>Since we live in a valley we are pretty protected from a lot of the harsh
weather. This enables the fall raspberries to bear fruit for a long time.
So I decided to exploit the remaining fall red raspberries for this dessert.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/raspchamb.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>I start by reducing some raspberries down, adding in a cup of sugar, 1/4 of
honey and 1/4 of Chambord, I will add a little water if the sugar wants to
stick. After it starts to simmer I add a 1/8 tsp salt.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/reducing.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Once the reduction is complete I have to strain those seed out of the infused
fruit jelly. Then line the French White bottoms with the jelly and allow
it to cool completely while I prepare the custard.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/strainedrd.jpg" width="398" height="244"></p>
<p>If this was a top layer I would use a torch to burst the air bubbles out of
the fruit jelly. But since they are a bottom offering, no reason to spend
a lot of time on a few bubbles. They sure look very nice against that
French White.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/frenchwhtrasp.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Now onto the custard. Few things pisses-me-off more than not taking the
time to do the custard correctly. You have a dish here were the egg is the
main character. So take the time to remove the chalazae and the yolk
membrane. Have a quart of heavy cream, 1 cup vanilla sugar, 1 Tahitian
vanilla bean, split and scrapped, and 6 egg yolks, prepared properly.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/yolkcream.jpg" width="279" height="421"></p>
<p>Bring the cream and everything else except the eggs to a simmer. Allow
it to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and all to cool below 185
degrees. Once it has cooled a little you can start to temper the eggs.
Once an egg yolk is tempered it will not coagulate until it reaches 185 F.
Which means this custard needs protection while in the oven. That is where
the water bath comes into play. Surrounded in water, the French White
allows the heat transfer without the yolk custard coagulating from the higher
350 F heat of the oven.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/waterbath.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>I am just using a round cake pan to form that Bains Marie for the custard
setting process. Always add the water last. And I always add hot
water. I think it keeps the top from being exposed to the 350 F oven
longer than necessary.</p>
<p>When they come out of the Bains Marie if you have done it correct they should
look like this.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/smbrulee.jpg" width="286" height="270"></p>
<p>Now I had a little more custard than I thought. Actually I swapped
location on my 3.75 and 4.25 French White Cups so I was using the smaller cups
leaving some extra. Since I sacrificed a Tahitian Vanilla Bean for this
custard I am going to turn it all into something to eat. So I pulled a
couple of my large flat French Whites and filled them and cooked them off in a
Bains Marie as well.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/lgbrule.jpg" width="304" height="295"></p>
<p>Now to finish this dish you have to add the magic! The magic is burnt
sugar. For this dish to taste correctly you have to chill this custard
down to 36 F or so in the reefer. Then you pull, sugar and burn!</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/cremesugrd.jpg" width="409" height="213"></p>
<p>You will here all kinds of sugar types and mixtures recommended for this
dish. People want part brown sugar, some want turbinado, some want
ultra-fine, etc etc. I don't care what you use, I use straight white cane
sugar. My favorite to do this dish with and I like the top. Most
people are trying to avoid the burnt part. I like the burnt sugar, it
really adds to the dish. Anyway whatever sugar you like, you put the torch
to it.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/torching.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Now you go round and round until all the granulated sugar has been liquefied
then do the other one. Now when it is done there can be no granulated
sugar anywhere on this thing. Period, end of discussion, NONE, bring it to
me with a granule of sugar, you did it wrong! It should look like this
when you complete it. But see that hole on the one on the left? That
has to be hit again with the torch. That is uncooked sugar and is not
allowed.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefblog.com/public_pics/brulee/done.jpg" width="445" height="336"> </p>
<p>Now I mentioned that the custard had to be chilled. Part of the magic
of this dish done correctly and served on time is the temperature contrast.
You have this incredible silkiness of the custard that is cold, you have this
upfront sugary, burnt marshmallow taste, this warm sugar caramel, this crunchy
mouth feel wrapped in the silkiness, and raspberry and vanilla oh my! It
is just plain heaven!</p>
<p>'til we talk again, make a nice custard dessert. The egg is the best
priced protein we have in the world. Get out there are use it. It
performs for breakfast, dinner, supper, and dessert! It is a perfect food!</p>
<p>Chef Bob Ballantyne<br>
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering<br>
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</p>
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