Lemon Crème Brûlée with Berries
Servings 8
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- 8 Ramekins
- Fine Sieve Strainer
- Digital Thermometer
- Cooking Torch
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 4 cups chilled heavy cream divided
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped out
- Zest from 2 lemons
- Fresh blueberries
- Fresh raspberries
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 12 large egg yolks
- 8 tsp turbinado sugar more if needed
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle section of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Combine 2 cups of cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the pan. Submerge the vanilla pod in the cream. Add the lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a slight boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it steep for 15 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Meanwhile, place a Silpat mat (or thin kitchen towel) on the bottom of a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan to prevent the dishes from sliding around.
- Arrange 8 (4-5 oz) ramekins on the silpat mat. Add a few blueberries and raspberries to each ramekin.
- Bring a kettle of water to a boil over high heat.
- After the vanilla bean has steeped, remove the pod from the cream and stir in the remaining 2 cups of cream to cool the mixture, and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, more if a stronger lemon flavor is desired.
- Whisk the yolks well in a separate large bowl. Add about 1 cup of the cream mixture to the yolks; whisk until combined; repeat with the remaining cream and whisk until evenly colored and thoroughly combined.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or bowl, and discard the solids left in the strainer.
- Pour or ladle the mixture into the ramekins, dividing it equally among them.
- Carefully place the rimmed baking sheet with the ramekins on the oven rack; pour boiling water into the baking pan, being careful not to splash water into the ramekins, until the water reaches two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake until the centers of the custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy. A digital thermometer inserted in the center should read 170-175 degrees, 30-35 minutes. Begin checking the temperature about 5 minutes before the recommended time.
- Transfer the ramekins to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Set the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet, cover them tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
- Uncover the ramekins. If condensation has collected on the custard surface, place a paper towel on the surface to soak up the mixture.
- Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with a teaspoon of turbinado sugar, and tilt and tap each ramekin for even coverage.
- Ignite the torch and caramelize the sugar carefully.
- Refrigerate uncovered to re-chill for 20-30 minutes (but no longer), serve. Enjoy!