Salted Caramel Crème Pastries

One of my new favorite foodie show is definitely Unique Sweets/ Unique Eats on the Cooking channel. The way they film the food is utterly gorgeous, and seriously makes me salivate every single time I watch... it's painful and delightful all at the same time. I guess I'm a masochist of sorts...

Anyways, I was watching the episode that featured breakfast pastries, and while drooling extensively, I came across a breakfast pastry that I knew I had to try to recreate at home. I forget the name of the bakery now, but basically they make their own puff pastry, pre-bake it, then fill it with salted caramel, custard then brulee the whole thing. Sounds pretty decadent for a breakfast pastry doesn't it? Well, it sure sounds like heaven to me.

Of course, re-creating it at home, I simplified the process because I was no way in hell gonna make my own puff pastry! I happened to also have some leftover salted caramel sauce from a cake I made the weekend before... so it was all a snap for me. Just as it is, this pastry is amazing, but to add my own little twist to it, I added some sliced strawberries in the center to cut the sweetness a little and add a some freshness. But honestly, this is one of the simplest, most delicious, ingenious things I've ever eaten - I urge you to make it immediately!!

Salted Caramel Crème Pastries

Yields: 18 pastries

For the custard:

1 small package instant vanilla bean pudding

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla

For the salted caramel:

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup corn syrup

4 tbsn. butter, softened, cut into cubes

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. fleur de sel or any other sea salt

1 package puff pastry, defrosted, each sheet cut into 9 squares

1 cup strawberries, sliced thinly

coarse sugar, such as turbinado

To make the caramel, stir together the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, stop stirring and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Continue boiling until the mixture turns a deep caramel color. If you are unsure of when to turn off the heat, the mixture should register 300 F on a candy thermometer. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and add the heavy cream and butter, being careful as it should bubble up vigorously. Add the salt, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. 

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spread the squares of puff pastry on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving about 1" in between each. Use a 3" round cookie cutter to impress a circle into each square (this will help to form a indentation later after baking so that it can be filled with cream). Bake until golden brown, about 12 - 15 minutes. Once golden brown, remove to a wire rack to cool. While baking, you can make the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix, heavy cream, milk and vanilla  until smooth and the mixture starts to thicken. Set aside in the refrigerator for about 10 more minutes so that it can firm up some more.

To assemble, use a spoon to press in the circle indentations to make room for the custard. In each indentation, add about 1 tbsn. of the salted caramel. Add a few sliced strawberries, then top with custard, filling to the top. Sprinkle the tops with sugar, then use a torch to brulee until the sugar has melted and caramelized. Repeat with remaining pastries. Enjoy!

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

Well, not so long ago, I made creme brulee. What you didn't know is that I made it specifically for the purpose of putting it into this cupcake! Crème Brûlée cupcakes, yes, they are not only a figment of your imagination - they are real and they are divine!

When I came across the concept, I gasped, was awed, motionless in shock and wonder. Once I wrapped my head around it, it just made sense, why not?! Tucked inside of my favorite chocolate cake recipe (black magic cake) is a creamy, uberly light creme that is then torched to a crisp so you still get that classic creme brulee. Topped with some fresh berries, and you are basically set to conquer the world - yep, I said that!

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Inspired by this. Crème Brûlée recipe from here.

1 recipe Black Magic Cake, baked and cooled

For the creme brulee:

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup + 1 tbsn. sugar

1/3 - 1/4 cup white sugar or light brown sugar

Prepare the baked cupcakes by using the 'cone method' to remove some of the center of each cupcakes, leaving about a 1/2 centimeter edge on each cupcake and about 1 - 2 cm deep, set aside. To make the creme brulee, preheat oven to 300 F. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla bean over medium low heat for 15 minutes, stirring to ensure it does not burn; DO NOT let it boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsn. sugar. Add about half of the cream mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, whisking until well blended. Then pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture, stir until completely blended.

Pour into 4 (9oz.) ramekins or custard cups. Place the dishes in a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the mixture is set in the center (it shouldn't wiggle when shaken). Carefully remove the dishes from the baking pan. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Once cool, use a spoon to fill your cupcakes with the creme, using a spatula to flatten the tops. When ready to serve, sprinkle the Crème Brûlée with sugar to coat, then use a blow torch to brulee the tops and caramelize the sugar. If desired, you can top with some fresh berries!

Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée is one of those things. You know? Those things that are necessary to a dessert lover. You just have to have one at least once in your life! If you don't feel this same urge, then may I ask... do you have blood running through your veins? What is wrong with you!? I'm just kidding, but seriously I think almost all people love this dessert... here's to wishful thinking!

"Times are hard for dreamers." That is quite possibly my most favorite quote from my favorite movie, Amelie. If you haven't watched it, please do! There is a moment in the movie that would touch any foodie's heart - the moment when she declares that one of her favorite things in the world to do is to crack the top of a crème brûlée with the back of her spoon. Ever since then, I smile widely whenever I come across a crème brûlée!

But, there are more reasons to love crème brûlée than that! Actually, there are plenty of reasons. First, it's actually quite simple to make and thankfully only requires but a few ingredients. Oh, and it doesn't help that it's utterly delicious. Creamy beyond words and perfectly sweetened. Of course, the hardened-crackled top is necessary!

A quick note: for some reason when I baked these in the ramekins pictured here, everything turned out rainbows and butterflies. But... I baked another batch in a larger, deeper dish and it turned out horribly mangled and curdled! I have no idea why, but consider that as you are making this.

One of my favorite desserts! I can't believe I hadn't made it until now!

Crème Brûlée

Yields: 6 servings

Original recipe here.

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup + 1 tbsn. sugar

1/3 - 1/4 cup white sugar or light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla bean over medium low heat for 15 minutes, stirring to ensure it does not burn; DO NOT let it boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsn. sugar. Add about half of the cream mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, whisking until well blended. Then pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour into 4 (9oz.) ramekins or custard cups. Place the dishes in a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the mixture is set in the center (it shouldn't wiggle when shaken). Carefully remove the dishes from the baking pan. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Let creme brulee stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Divide 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the white or brown sugar in a thin, even layer over each custard, covering it completely. To caramelize, light a propane torch and hold it so that the flame just touches the surface. Serve immediately.

Citrus City Grille {Orange, CA}

Tucked away in the heart of Orange County, is the Orange Circle. It's a quaint neighborhood filled with friendly people, antique marts, and a vast variety of restaurants. The charm from the 1940s originated buildings are unbelievable but if you aren't a frequent flyer, you may still be very familiar with the city. You may recognize the benches in the center of the circle as the bench Forrest Gump once waited for a bus on, or the restored Army Navy store as the one the boys from That Thing You Do worked in during their days trying to make it as "The Wonders." You'd be surprised by the many things you could find in the Circle, but what's more surprising is the amount of great restaurants one can find in such a small radius.

One of these restaurants is The Citrus City Grille:

The main highlights of Citrus City Grille were the desserts. After a large, bloated-stomach inducing meal consisting of a Kobe Beef Cheeseburger accompanied by thin-cut fries, there was no way we were going to leave without getting our hands on some dessert, no matter how much our stomachs may have protested.

1. Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee: The epitome of a creme brulee. It was rich and as smooth as velvet. My favorite part: cracking the perfectly bruleed top with the back of my spoon (just like Amélie).

2. Grand Marnier Souffle: Never did it once fall! It was light and airy and served with a raspberry sauce and freshly whipped cream. No wrong can be done with a raspberry sauce, let me tell you that. But the cream? It put me over the edge of ecstasy, so simply sweet and thick, almost like ice cream!

Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain