The origin of the recipe for Crème Brûlée is often disputed. But whether it is the French, English or Spanish, who really cares? One thing’s for sure: Crème Brûlée sounds much better than its English translation— “burnt cream.”

If you are like me, Crème Brûlée is one of your favorite desserts. It seems so complex and intimidating, but it really isn’t. It’s a perfect dessert that can be prepared a day or two in advance without losing any quality when it’s finally ready to serve. And the fewer courses you have to worry about while entertaining, the better.

This is a delicate but simple recipe that is absolutely sinfully rich and creamy. Traditional Crème Brûlée is made from only a few simple ingredients: heavy cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and pure vanilla.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with Crème Brûlée. Test it a few times on your family. After just a few tries, you will be creating the same incredible dessert you had at your favorite restaurant. In time you’ll probably even find that you prefer your own. Experiment and try different ingredients to create your own recipes with various fruits, flavors and liqueurs. Search the Internet and you’ll find hundreds of other ideas.

• 8 ounces quality white chocolate (We used chocolate from A Taste of Chocolate)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons Chambord
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Additional granulated sugar for caramelizing top
• Raspberries and/or blackberries for garnish

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in the granulated sugar, Chambord, egg yolks and cream. Once you’ve blended all of the ingredients well, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl.

Place mixture in the top of a double boiler over water and whisk as needed until it become thick and coats the back of a spoon. This should take approximately 30 minutes. Let chill for at least two hours before serving.

Spoon the mixture into your container, and top with about two teaspoons of granulated sugar. Then use a blowtorch to caramelize the top, and chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate Box
If you can’t find pre-made chocolate cups, try using plastic molds or build your own box. Line a baking sheet pan with waxed paper. Pour melted chocolate onto the waxed paper and use a spatula to spread the chocolate to about a

12" x 12" square. Make sure the chocolate is not too thick or too thin. Let it chill and then use a sharp knife to score the chocolate to make the bottom and the sides. Use additional melted chocolate to glue the sides to the bottom and to secure the corners of your chocolate box. This can be done well in advance.

Classic Crème Brûlée

• 5 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Additional granulated sugar for caramelizing top

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is calibrated to the correct temperature. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar is incorporated into the egg yolks. Add cream and vanilla, then whisk until thoroughly blended. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer and let settle for a few moments.

Evenly divide the mixture into your six ovenproof containers or ramekins. Place containers in a pan that can hold water. Place pan in the oven and carefully (and gently) pour hot water from a teakettle in the pan to surround your containers about half way up the side (otherwise know as a water bath). Let bake until the custard starts to set around the edges but is still loose in the middle. Baking time is usually around 45 minutes. If you are using larger containers the baking time could increase. Once ready, carefully remove pan with containers from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes in the water bath.

Remove cups from your water bath and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.

When ready to serve, evenly sprinkle about two teaspoons of granulated sugar on top of your custard. Use a small hand-held blowtorch to melt (caramelize) your sugar. (This is what gives restaurant Crème Brûlée its brittle topping.) Return the dessert to your refrigerator for a few more minutes and you’ll be ready to serve. One or two tries with a mini-torch and you’ll be an expert. Enjoy!

Chocolate Espresso Crème Brûlée

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (shaved)
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Additional granulated sugar for caramelizing top
• Chocolate covered Espresso beans for garnish

Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine heavy cream and instant espresso in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until espresso is dissolved.

Add shaved chocolate into the cream mixture and whisk until melted and smooth. Set this mixture aside. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Gradually add chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while whisking, and then slowly strain all of the combined ingredients into a bowl.

Use the same method of baking as in the classic Crème Brûlée recipe above. Enjoy!