Creme Brulee Recipe + Uses For A Chef’s Torch

Impress your family and friends with this delicate and delicious Creme Brulee Recipe – a perfect dessert for entertaining. Plus get tips for using a Chef’s Torch.

Creme Brulee Recipe

Using My New Chef’s Torch

 

I haven’t said anything about any gifts I received at Christmas, but I have to tell about one Luke gave me. It was something I have been wanting for a long time, and I was super excited to open the package to find a chef’s torch! Fun, right?

I absolutely love Creme Brulee, and now I will be able to make my own at home… yum. There are lots of other things a chef’s torch will come in handy for around the kitchen too. And, the new torch will save on mess and potential danger as well.

This past Thanksgiving, I had my candied sweet potatoes in the oven to toast the marshmallows on top. When I went to pull them out of the oven, the caught on fire. I was gently blowing on them to dissipate the flame, when Luke’s nephew (who was carving the turkey), turned around did his imitation of the Big Bad Wolf. The flames went out, but about a third of the marshmallows sprayed all over the inside of my oven. We all had a great laugh, but it did add extra clean up for the oven. The remaining marshmallows were — shall we say — extra toasty. Had I a chef;s torch at that time, we would have enjoyed a perfectly toasted, fully covered marshmallow-topped sweet potato dish, but we would have lost this great family story.

Tips for Using  a Chef’s Torch or  Cooking  Torch:

A chef’s torch is a fantastic kitchen gadget. Here are some ways in which you can use a chef’s torch:

  • Give desserts and fruits a Caramelized Sugar Top
    • Creme Brulee, puddings
    • strawberries, peaches
  • Fire Roast or Char fresh fruits and vegetables
    • pineapple rings, grapefruit, apricots, strawberries
    • tomatoes, peppers
  • Toast toppings
    • marshmallows, marshmallow creme
    • meringue
    • cheese
  • Flambe desserts and dishes
    • Bananas Foster, Cherries Jubilee
    • Steak Diane
  • Crusting a Glaze on meats/poultry/fish and vegetables
    • ham, steak, salmon
    • root vegetables

So, now let’s get to the tasty recipe!

Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée is a silky smooth custard with a caramelized top. Crack through the shell for a delicate and delicious dessert. Impress your family and friends. Perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups – Heavy Cream
  • 4 Tablespoons plus 2/3 cup – Granulated Sugar
  • 4 – Extra Large or Jumbo Egg Yolks
  • 1 teaspoon – Vanilla Extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F
  2. Prepare Boiling Water
  3. In a saucepan, combine Heavy Cream and 4 Tablespoons Sugar, Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan — 5-6 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Place Egg Yolks in a large bowl, be sure to remove all whites from the yolks. Beat Egg Yolks and Vanilla Extract until smooth and light.
  5. Very SLOWLY, a little at a time (drips and drabs), add the cream mixture to the egg yolks, BEATING CONTINUOUSLY to temper the egg yolks and combine until well blended.
  6. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl or measuring cup with a pouring spout. Divide mixture among four 4-oz. shallow ramekins.
  7. Arrange ramekins in a baking pan and place on middle shelf of preheated oven. Fill the pan with boiling water, CAREFUL not to splash any water into the custard mixture, until water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake until custard is just set, it should still have a slight wobble, about 25 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes; then, chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
  8. Sprinkle remain sugar evenly over the top of the cooled custards. Use the chef’s torch in a circular motion, moving the flame continuously over the custard surface until sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use. Serving suggestion: serve with fresh berries or cut-up fruit.

**NOTE** Remember to follow the safety directions for your cooking torch. If you do not have a chef’s torch, you can use the oven broiler to caramelize the sugar topping. Watch very closely.

 

 

A Printable Recipe just for you…

5 from 1 reviews
Creme Brulee Recipe + Uses For A Chef's Torch
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Crème Brûlée is a silky smooth custard with a caramelized top. Crack through the shell for a delicate and delicious dessert. Impress your family and friends. Perfect for entertaining.
from:
Type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
  • 2 Cups - Heavy Cream
  • 4 Tablespoons plus 2/3 cup - Granulated Sugar
  • 4 - Extra Large or Jumbo Egg Yolks
  • 1 teaspoon - Vanilla Extract
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F
  2. Prepare Boiling Water
  3. In a saucepan, combine Heavy Cream and 4 Tablespoons Sugar, Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan -- 5-6 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Place Egg Yolks in a large bowl, be sure to remove all whites from the yolks. Beat Egg Yolks and Vanilla Extract until smooth and light.
  5. Very SLOWLY, a little at a time (drips and drabs), add the cream mixture to the egg yolks, BEATING CONTINUOUSLY to temper the egg yolks and combine until well blended.
  6. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl or measuring cup with a pouring spout. Divide mixture among four 4-oz. shallow ramekins.
  7. Arrange ramekins in a baking pan and place on middle shelf of preheated oven. Fill the pan with boiling water, CAREFUL not to splash any water into the custard mixture, until water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake until custard is just set, it should still have a slight wobble, about 25 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes; then, chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
  8. Sprinkle remain sugar evenly over the top of the cooled custards. Use the chef's torch in a circular motion, moving the flame continuously over the custard surface until sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use. Serving suggestion: serve with fresh berries or cut-up fruit.
Notes
**NOTE** Remember to follow the safety directions for your cooking torch. If you do not have a chef's torch, you can use the oven broiler to caramelize the sugar topping. Watch very closely.
3.5.3226

 

Enjoy this dessert with family, friends, or a special loved one…

 

 

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5 Tools You Need To Remodel Your Kitchen

Any job requires tools and having the right tools for the job makes everything easier. Find out the 5 must-have tools for a kitchen remodel.

5 Must-Have Tools

For Remodeling Your Kitchen

 

 

There are plenty of tools on the market for home improvers and DIYers who hope to remodel their kitchens, but how many do you really need? Should you get ten specific tools, or invest in a multi-tool to help you with multiple projects? In the same way that you don’t want to waste money on overpriced tile or the wrong light bulbs, you don’t want to buy unnecessary tools for the job. Follow this guide to get the right tools to solve all of your problems.

The Right Tools

 

Demolition Bar

Image via Flickr by Loren Owensby

You demolition or pry bar can prove useful in many instances, especially if you’re trying to update an older kitchen. This tool is great for getting into tiny spaces and ripping out cabinets and anything else that’s been nailed to your wall. It also has a nail puller on one end in case you accidentally nail the wrong pieces together or want a more delicate removal than the wrecking side can deliver. Many DIYers think this tool is perfect when you need a controllable force on an object.

 

Shop Vacuum

A shop vacuum is something you want in your home long after you finish remodeling. It’s meant to pick up durable items from lost screws to sawdust and insulation. This will also provide your saving grace if a pipe bursts in your kitchen and water spews across the floor. The shop vacuum hose can reach into tiny spaces where a traditional vacuum or broom can’t. Furthermore, its attachments often suck up more than a traditional vacuum, which is important when you’re trying to clear a workspace or remove material that may contain mold.

 

Adjustable Ladder

Image via Flickr by iamvisi

An adjustable ladder is another tool that will help you long after you’ve finished remodeling your kitchen. It’s much safer than standing on chairs or boxes, and you can change its height to meet your specific needs. Try to find a collapsible model for easy storage so you can keep it close next time a light bulb needs to be changed or frame that needs to be adjusted. Furthermore, this ladder will be your best friend during the holiday season and Halloween, especially if you love turning your home into a winter wonderland or haunted house for the neighborhood kids.

 

Free Standing Light

If you’re working on electrical or plumbing improvements in the kitchen, you’re going to crawl into some dark spaces. You can either use up one of your hands with a flashlight, or you can invest in a free-standing or hanging light to brighten the area to free both hands. You can find these lights at your local home improvement store, and you can find models that collapse for easy storage afterward.

If you don’t have the room to set up a light, or are climbing on a ladder, consider buying a headlamp that lights the scene in front of you. These lights will be your best friends when you’re trying to install light fixtures underneath your cabinets, but you can’t see where the cables hook up.

 

Smartphone

Image via Flickr by Janitors

Your smartphone can serve a multitude of uses during your kitchen remodeling process. It has apps that serve as levels to make sure your cabinets and art pieces aren’t crooked. However, the most value that smartphones offer is ideas. There are apps for selecting paint colors and testing how they would look on your walls and others that let you place furniture in different positions to get a feel for how it looks when you move in. This can save you the time and energy of actually picking up your furniture and sliding it across the room — only to decide it looked better where it was.

All of these tools are important investments for the DIYer who wants to remodel his or her kitchen, but they can also be used throughout the house and during the rest of the year. Not only will they save time and energy, but the ladder and lighting can even save your life and prevent a trip to the hospital. A remodeled kitchen is nice, but not when the homeowner has to sacrifice safety.

 

 

 

 

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5 Essentials For Outdoor Fall Events

This time of year is full of entertaining opportunities, and it is lovely to spend those last moments before the winter freeze outdoors. Debbie Lewis is here to share 5 Essentials for Outdoor Fall Events.

5 Essentials

For Outdoor Fall Events

When the weather starts to take on a cool edge and the days begin to grow shorter, you might think you’re doomed to be cooped up indoors for the next several months. However, you can still enjoy being outside. All you need to do is create an outdoor space where you and your guests can be comfortable even during the fall and winter months. Here are some essentials that you’ll need:

A Fireplace

Image via Flickr by Jarsin Trevino

Yes, you could tell your guests to wear lots of layers, but that isn’t nearly as comfortable or relaxing as sitting by a fire. Contact local experts who can help you design an outdoor fireplace that complements your home’s décor and will serve as a cozy place where you can sit and swap stories while you snack on smores.

Another option is to buy a metal fireplace from your local home improvement store, but that lacks the class and longevity of a permanent stone fireplace that you and your guests will be able to enjoy for years to come.

Adequate Lighting

When you host fall and winter outdoor events, the last thing you want is to have to send your guests home when the sun sets. Make sure you have adequate lighting so no one trips and gets hurt. You can have a floodlight attached to your house, but that may not be enough. Think about installing small solar-powered lights along walkways outside your home.

Search the internet for creative ideas on how to light your home’s exterior. You can also use candles in mason jars to add an extra touch of elegance, or you could string up icicle lights for a lovely holiday party. The possibilities are endless!

A Patio

Image via Flickr by Mr_Wahlee

When the weather is dry, it might be no problem to have guests relaxing in your grassy yard. During fall and winter, however, the grass will often be wet and muddy. When temperatures take a plunge, your yard could even become slippery to the point of being dangerous. A paved patio provides a safe walking surface. If necessary, you can place rubber mats on it to make it even safer.

An Outdoor Kitchen

Image via Flickr by Roger Mommaerts

Your outdoor kitchen doesn’t need to be elaborate, but it does need to have some basics. It could be as simple as a grill, a bin to keep drinks in, and a storage place for outdoor cooking supplies. You should also have a place where you can keep carafes of hot drinks, such as coffee and cocoa, so your guests can help themselves to something warm and tasty whenever they want.

Overhead Covering

Image via Flickr by Bellafaye Garden

If you live in an area where rain is common in fall and winter, you’ll have to prepare for that liquid sunshine when you’re planning your outdoor event. You can buy some sturdy patio umbrellas, or you could build an awning or a gazebo that will provide shelter from drizzles and raindrops.

Sometimes it is nice to stay indoors during fall and winter. However, you and your guests can still get outside and enjoy the fresh autumn air.

 

 

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Kitchen Cabinets – DIY Upscale

Kitchen Cabinets – DIY Upscale

A Great Tip for Kitchen Improvement!

 

Do your kitchen cabinets need help? Don’t have the money to redo them? Here is a fabulous tip to improve your cabinets — make them more functional and more spacious!

You know that old cabinet design with the 90 degree angles and the closed wall shelving. Well, that’s what we have in both corners of our kitchen. It is such a waste of space. One side of the cabinet is long, going all the way back behind the wall of its partner cabinet. When you place something back there…you’d best forget about, because it is near impossible to get it out again. You cannot even see what you have stored back in the darkness–certainly NOT a place for anything you use often, or plan on using ever.

As I tried to combine two kitchens worth of stuff into one, these cabinets became a real issue. Thank goodness for Luke, his trusty tools, his ingenious mind, and his willingness to make me happy.

Luke and his Oscillating Dremel went to work cutting out the cabinet walls. If you choose to remove the walls, be sure a border of the wall remains for structural support. With this in mind, Luke cut out the walls on the top and bottom shelves.

 

The photo on the left is the top shelf. As you can see, Luke was able to cut the wall flush with the two shelves. I can see what I have on the shelf all the way to the back corner! I can also slide and maneuver things around with ease.

On the right, is the bottom shelf. More of a window cut was made in this wall to not weaken the cabinet. I can still see to the back corner, and I can reach things easily. Having this opening, even though it is smaller, allows me to store larger things (like my bowls) in the cabinet that would not fit there before. The opening gives the bowls space to hang over into the other cabinet.

I was able to get about 2 1/2 times the stuff stored on these shelves. The items are stored neatly and efficiently. I can see what I have, and I can reach everything for easy use. I am thrilled!

Thank you, Luke!!!

How do you like this Kitchen Cabinet Tip?

Do you have any suggestions to share?

 

 

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My Kitchen Needs Help!

I Need Ideas!

This lovely built-in electric can opener has been in this kitchen for 42-years, and it’s been dead for at least 15 of those years. In that time, I have gone through two other electric can openers that have sat on my counter-top, the last of which just recently died and has caused me to think about this space again.

I haven’t removed the ancient gadget in the wall because I don’t know what to do with the open hole it would leave. As you can see, there are electrical switches (one for my also dead garbage disposal, the other for the fan over the stove-top) directly next to the can opener.

The offending can opener sits just above the back splash of my counter-top, but below a cabinet. You can see the two-plug electric outlet around the corner to the left. (This kitchen seriously lacks in electrical outlets). Just to the right of this space is my sink, and to the left is the door to the garage.

I would love some ideas on what to do with this. Do I just pull it out and drywall over it, or is there some fantastic use I can make of that all ready existing hole that will be left behind? I would greatly appreciate hearing any ideas or suggestions you may have.

Have you ever seen one of these built-in beauties?

What would you do with this space?

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