Milk Chocolate — Caramel Crème Brûlée
Creamy smooth chocolate custards are topped with a crunchy sugar crust. The chefs use a small blowtorch to quickly caramelize the sugar crust, but it can also be done under a very hot broiler.
Ingredients
- Milk - 3 cups
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2-3/4 cups
- Granulated Sugar - 1/3 cup, plus 3/4 cup
- Water - 1/2 cup
- Bittersweet Chocolate - 12 ounces, chopped
- Egg Yolks - 8
- Light Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Pure Cane Sugar - 1/2 cup
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk, cream, and 1/3 cup of sugar to a boil.
In another medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring 3/4 cup sugar and the water to a low boil, then continue to cook until it turns a warm amber color. Slowly pour one third of the hot milk into the caramel and gently stir to blend, then pour the mixture back into the remaining milk and stir. Return to a boil.
Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the caramel mixture over it. Cool to room temperature, then stir in the egg yolks and blend the mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and fill the ramekins with the hot custard. Set the filled ramekins in a shallow baking pan and fill the pan with water three-fourths of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the custard sets. Remove from the water bath and let cool.
If using a broiler, preheat the broiler to the hottest setting. Mix together the brown and cane sugars. Sprinkle the custards with the sugar mixture, creating a layer of sugar over each custard. Place the sugared custards on a baking sheet, and place under the broiler under glazed. This takes place in a matter of seconds; watch constantly. Or, use a torch to glaze the top of each custard individually.
