Description
This is a pretty basic creme brulee recipe for the most part, but the addition of a couple of dried chipotle peppers while making the custard, along with the kiss of smoke present from doing the bain-marie (the water bath) step on your smoker/grill definitely levels this one up. You get both a hint of heat and smoke in every bite. This is one of my most well received recipes. Credit to Steven Raichlen as this recipe came from his How to Grill book.
Serves 6
Special Tools
You need 6 3 1/2 to 4" diameter ramekins, a container for the bain-marie (I use a roasting pan. I've tried tin foil pans but the are a bit flimsy when filled with boiling water), a grill or smoker (duh!), and either a torch or a brulee iron to melt the sugar.
Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
2 dried chipotle chiles, torn open and seeded (for a spicier dessert, leave the seeds in)
Note: I don't agree that leaving the seeds in makes what you're cooking hotter. The real extra heat is in the white ribs that the seeds are attached to. Having said that, I always remove seeds because I find they can impart a bitter taste.
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise. You can use 1 tbsp of vanilla extract here.
1 cinnamon stick
8 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar or the same amount of granulated sugar though I always use turbinado
Method
1. Combine the cream, chipotles, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat and cook at the gentlest possible simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cream mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Combine the egg yolks, whole egg, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk just to mix. Whisk the cooled cream mixture into the yolk mixture. Strain this mixture into créme brulée dishes or
ramekins. Place the filled dishes in a roasting pan. Bring 1 quart water to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
4. When ready to cook, place the roasting pan in the center of the hot grate away from the heat. Add 1/2 inch of boiling water to the pan, taking care not to splash any on the custards. Cover the grill and grill the custards until just set, 25 to 35 minutes. To test for doneness, tap one of the dishes. The mixture should wiggle, not ripple, indicating the custard is set. Transfer the custards to a rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. You can prepare the custards up to this stage the day before.
5.When ready to cook, sprinkle a thin layer of turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar) on top of each custard. Caramelize the sugar using a blowtorch. Serve at once.
This is a pretty basic creme brulee recipe for the most part, but the addition of a couple of dried chipotle peppers while making the custard, along with the kiss of smoke present from doing the bain-marie (the water bath) step on your smoker/grill definitely levels this one up. You get both a hint of heat and smoke in every bite. This is one of my most well received recipes. Credit to Steven Raichlen as this recipe came from his How to Grill book.
Serves 6
Special Tools
You need 6 3 1/2 to 4" diameter ramekins, a container for the bain-marie (I use a roasting pan. I've tried tin foil pans but the are a bit flimsy when filled with boiling water), a grill or smoker (duh!), and either a torch or a brulee iron to melt the sugar.
Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
2 dried chipotle chiles, torn open and seeded (for a spicier dessert, leave the seeds in)
Note: I don't agree that leaving the seeds in makes what you're cooking hotter. The real extra heat is in the white ribs that the seeds are attached to. Having said that, I always remove seeds because I find they can impart a bitter taste.
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise. You can use 1 tbsp of vanilla extract here.
1 cinnamon stick
8 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar or the same amount of granulated sugar though I always use turbinado
Method
1. Combine the cream, chipotles, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat and cook at the gentlest possible simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cream mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Combine the egg yolks, whole egg, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk just to mix. Whisk the cooled cream mixture into the yolk mixture. Strain this mixture into créme brulée dishes or
ramekins. Place the filled dishes in a roasting pan. Bring 1 quart water to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
4. When ready to cook, place the roasting pan in the center of the hot grate away from the heat. Add 1/2 inch of boiling water to the pan, taking care not to splash any on the custards. Cover the grill and grill the custards until just set, 25 to 35 minutes. To test for doneness, tap one of the dishes. The mixture should wiggle, not ripple, indicating the custard is set. Transfer the custards to a rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. You can prepare the custards up to this stage the day before.
5.When ready to cook, sprinkle a thin layer of turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar) on top of each custard. Caramelize the sugar using a blowtorch. Serve at once.
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