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Blood Orange Crème Brûlée
5 from 3 votes

Blood Orange Crème Brûlée

Blood Orange Crème Brûlée: Rich and creamy vanilla custard meets a brittle caramelized topping in this seductive and foolproof classic French dessert with a fresh hint of blood orange.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 552 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 200 ml or 3/4 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup
  • 50 ml or 1or 1/4 cup /4 cup milk
  • 1/2 vanilla pod
  • 3 egg yolk
  • 50 grams or 1/4 cup brown sugar plus 4-5 tablespoons for the topping
  • 30 ml or 3 tablespoons blood orange juice
  • 1 teaspoonor 3 tablespoons blood orange grated zest
  • some more zest to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 150 °C or 300 °F. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and use a knife to scrape the seeds out. In a pot, combine vanilla seeds and pulp, heavy cream and milk.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it thickens. Discard the vanilla pulp.
  3. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks with sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually pour the cream mixture in it, whisking constantly. Add blood orange juice and grated zest and mix well.
  4. Carefully pour the mixture into 4 ramekins. Place them in a large baking form. Pour hot water into the baking form until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking form in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack.
  5. Right before serving sprinkle the custard with 1 tablespoon brown sugar per portion and use one of the 5 methods described below to caramelize the sugar (see notes). Garnish with blood orange zest. Enjoy!

Notes

  • To caramelize the sugar use one of the 5 methods described below:
  • Crème brûlée torch is a classic method of caramelizing the topping. It can be used for other things like caramelizing meringue and marshmallows, crisping meat, charring vegetables, skinning tomatoes and melting cheese on gratins.
  • Blow torch works well for crème brûlée and can be used for lighting the grill, gardening or fixing copper pipes.
  • Broiler/Grill can be a good option, too. You have to let your crème brûlée cool completely before using it. Set it on very hot and put your crème brûlée underneath for a couple of minutes until the crust is golden brown.
  • Oven can be used if you make your crème brûlée ahead. Take a piece of parchment paper and turn an empty ramekin over. Use a pencil to circle it around. Repeat as many times as you need. Spray your circles with a non-stick cooking spray. Then sprinkle a rather thick layer of brown sugar in your circles, trying not to go beyond the shape. Broil them in the top shelf of the hot oven for some minutes, until golden brown. I recommend you to use this method if you prepare your crème brûlée one or two days ahead because this way the sugar doesn't get soggy, as it doesn't touch the moist custard surface. The crust should be put on the crème brûlée directly before serving. Also, you can make different shapes (using cookie cutters is a good idea, too!) and use them for the variety of desserts.
  • Using a mixture of alcohol and sugar is a spectacular way to serve your crème brûlée. Sprinkle the custard with brown sugar and pour a bit of hard liquor of your choice. It can be vodka, gin, rum, brandy or whisky. One tablespoon will be more than enough. Use a normal lighter or matches to burn it and enjoy the show :)

Nutrition Information

Calories 552kcal (28%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 45g (69%) Saturated Fat 26g (130%) Cholesterol 432mg (144%) Sodium 68mg (3%) Potassium 200mg (4%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin A 1930IU (39%) Vitamin C 8.7mg (10%) Calcium 149mg (15%) Iron 0.9mg (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 552

% Daily Value*

Calories 552kcal 28%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 45g 69%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Cholesterol 432mg 144%
Sodium 68mg 3%
Potassium 200mg 4%
Sugar 27g 54%
Vitamin A 1930IU 39%
Vitamin C 8.7mg 10%
Calcium 149mg 15%
Iron 0.9mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.