Last Updated on July 4, 2024 by Lisa Keys
The Cream of the Crop is coming your way.
Good morning dear followers. Not exactly sure what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but the mid-Atlantic feels like spring this winter. Bulbs are pushing their bright green shoots through the dirt already with temperatures climbing into the 70's. Warm and loud thunderstorms are replacing snow. Will it stay this way? Doubtful, but hopeful.
The fear of winter's return hasn't stopped me from getting into the garden and finishing some clean-up. The north wind has a nasty habit of burying the landscape in leaves and riddling the yard with sticks. However, being in the garden is as much therapy as cooking, so I don't mind the dirty work. It's the best distraction thinking March winds and April showers are just around the corner.
Good Grief Cook thought throughout the gardening/growing season it might be interesting to take you on a good, the bad and the ugly of the garden. It's February. All looks dark and dead right now, or maybe it's just asleep. Anyway, this will be your first glance of the winter garden. Should be fun to watch it transform month to month. Let the tour begin.
Hope you have enjoyed these few photos today. In addition, to the garden I am working on improving my photography and food styling. Isn't that black slate tray beneath the creme brûlée a natural beauty? It's made in the USA. You will be seeing a lot of it. Thank you, Garmon for this gift.
Let's make some creme brûlée. It seems to be the cream of the dessert crop. I posted this photo on instagram and was surprised to learn how many people consider creme brûlée their favorite dessert. A simple, but rich and creamy vanilla custard topped with crispy caramelized sugar....okay I get why people love it so much. Plus it involves fire. This recipe is adapted from Christopher Kimball's Dessert Bible.
Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup light cream
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sugar, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Heat oven 300F. Place a cloth napkin over the bottom of a roasting pan. Place 4 (5-inch) brulee dishes or 6 ( 6 oz) ramekins in the roasting pan leaving space between each dish.
- Boil water in a tea kettle or a pan with a spout.
- In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream and light cream just to a simmer. (you should see whisps of steam).
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, ¼ cup sugar, salt and vanilla. While gently whisking, very slowly pour hot cream mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
- Strain mixture into a large measuring up or bowl with a spout. Divide mixture evenly among brûlée dishes or ramekins. Place in prepared pan.
- Pour hot water into roasting pan until it comes up half way the sides of the dishes.
- Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until custards are set but still quiver in center.
- Remove from water bath and cool. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Can be made 2 or 3 days in advance at this point.
- Just before serving sprinkle tops evenly with remaining sugar.
- Using a kitchen torch melt the sugar.
Nancy
The crime brûlée looks delicious, and your grandbaby is too cute for words!
Lisa
The recipe is so good and surprisingly easy. I hope you give it a try. Annabelle is sweet.
Ronna F
Wish we lived closer Lisa! I love gardening too! I need to get the leaves out of my garden. I did it in the fall but there are leaves caught in my asparagus and in my chives that have started coming up. I didn't cover my fig trees, but since this has been a mild winter, I think that the branches will be okay.The past few years they died off and the fig trees have grown branches from the bottom. I love creme brulee and your recipe looks and sounds heavenly! And last but not least, your little jelly bean is growing so quickly and she as adorable as she can be!!!!! Happy early Spring!!!!!
Lisa
Me, too, Ronna. We have lots of oak leaves in the yard that seem to smother everything, so I rake them away in layers a little at a time. Such a chore, but it must be done. I think my fig trees are sweating to death right now-LOL and think yours will be fine. Your daffodil photos are so beautiful and I can't wait for mine to open and brighten things up. Annabelle is crawling and trying to stand up now--will be needing roller skates soon. Enjoy the recipe-really so simple.
Lisa Keys
An irresistible classic.