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40 votes
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Incorporating fruits in creme brulee

This is a tough question. Fresh fruit puree is very unsuitable for incorporating in custards if you want a strong flavor. It contains tons of water, and dilutes your creme brulee a lot, and also ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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28 votes

Why do I need to use the oven to make crème brûlée? Or do I?

You can certainly use the stove, it is just that using the oven works better. on the stove, you will have to babysit the water bath so it doesn't get too hot. In the oven, it is less likely that this ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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12 votes
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creme brulee caramelized sugar disappearing

Yes, you are correct. Creme brulee exudes and condensates enough moisture that the caramel would disappear. If you want to make it ahead, you have to make the custard only. Caramelization is always ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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12 votes

Why do I need to use the oven to make crème brûlée? Or do I?

There is no magic about the oven here. It is really for convenience. There is no reason your method will not work. I've made custards using a water bath and an immersion circulator (sous vide) many ...
moscafj's user avatar
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10 votes
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Where did my creme brûlée go wrong?

I see two problems going on here, 1) overbeaten eggs, and 2) overbaking. Use a hand whisk to beat the eggs until slightly lighter in colour and smooth. Don't use an egg whisk. You can use a dough ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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8 votes
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Creme brulee cooking temperature

I've never used a heated mixing bowl, but I do sous vide, which I believe works on the same principle as what you're trying (namely that you can't overcook it because the cooking temp is where you ...
senschen's user avatar
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8 votes
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Why cool creme brulee?

Crème brûlée is supposed to be served cold, with a hard, crisp caramel layer on top. So that requires cooling after baking. The baking is needed to set the crème, it might just be a bit firmer after ...
remco's user avatar
  • 1,157
7 votes

How to make creme brulee without egg yolks?

Your title asks what thickens an egg yolk. Your description sounds like you want to replace them in creme brulee. Egg yolks have quite a bit of protein, though not as much as the whites. When cooked, ...
Sobachatina's user avatar
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7 votes
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Creme brulee has hard top layer

I had this happen to me - it's because fat gathers on the top of the creme. After heating the creme, for some reason, fat/oils gather at the top of the creme and when cooled become the hard layer you ...
J. Doe's user avatar
  • 186
6 votes

Incorporating fruits in creme brulee

I've successfully cooked Creme Brulée with whole raspberries at the bottom. Perhaps you could use a similar strategy, e.g. put in halved strawberries (perhaps with the cut face against the bottom of ...
abligh's user avatar
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5 votes

Incorporating fruits in creme brulee

My favourite solution to the problem is to infuse the cream with a Strawberry (or any flavour) tea (well technically infusion) Here is the one I used but I suspect any would do. Just infuse overnight ...
Gamora's user avatar
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5 votes
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Will agitated already set custard re-set again?

No, it will not set again at all. The explanation behind it: The custard is not a gel, it is a mixture of proteins, fat globules and other stuff swimming in a liquid (or maybe gel?). You start off ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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4 votes
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Cooking custard for crème brûlée macarons

I think your flavor ideas seem fine, I'd advise against a custard filling for two reasons. First, custard is squishy, even if you make it harder it's going to squish out when the macaron is bitten ...
GdD's user avatar
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4 votes

Creme brulee cooking temperature

I was finally able to get back to this and make some edits. My findings: My first assumption was that egg yolks would behave like cornstarch and that was wrong. Cornstarch, once it has reached its "...
User9123's user avatar
  • 123
4 votes

What is the proper technique for torching a creme brulee?

There are good videos on the internet showing how to properly caramelize the sugar; are you doing things differently ? Most of them just have the torch a couple of inches facing down over the sugar ...
Max's user avatar
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3 votes
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Why do you bake Crème Brûlée?

It needs very even heat to cook through without burning (underneath if you cook it on the hob). presumably if you cook it on the hob you need to use a bain marie and for individual ramekins this is ...
Chris H's user avatar
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3 votes
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Why did my Creme Brulee end up with lots of oil?

If the custard over baked, the liquid could have separated from the solid. The creme will look loose, or semi-liquid, when it is removed from the oven after gently baking bain marie (created by the ...
Giorgio's user avatar
  • 2,780
2 votes

Creme Brulee did not set, can I fix?

Yes, you can fix Creme Brulee that did not set! You just have to be willing to put out the effort. Despite what the entire internet seems to say, it can be done & I have done it with resounding ...
MegsB's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes

Melting sugar on creme brulee with blow torch

I've caramelised thousands of creme brulees and I find that these points will help you. 1) Dry your custard surface of water/condensation 2) Use caster/ demerara sugar that is dry (not clumpy from ...
Chung Deming's user avatar
2 votes

Is creme brulee supposed to be fatty?

No creme brulee should not resemble butter in any way. Not in taste nor in texture. Its consistency should be like that of a thick custard where the eggs determine the firmness of the custard. We ...
michid's user avatar
  • 151
2 votes

How to make creme brulee without egg yolks?

Dehydrate the milk and maybe try transglutaminase? Activa YG is formulated for thickening dairy https://www.modernistpantry.com/activa-yg-transglutaminase.html
goboating's user avatar
  • 528
2 votes

Cocktail infused Creme Brulee?

The alcohol does indeed change the coagulation of the egg yolks, so you have to be wary. Small amounts are not problematic (I have made orange crème brûlée with a tablespoon or two of orange liqueur ...
rumtscho's user avatar
  • 140k
1 vote

Cooking custard for crème brûlée macarons

Building on GdD's suggestion that a custard might be too wet for the meringue, how about using a white chocolate ganache instead? You can make it at least reminiscent of custard by adding vanilla bean ...
csk's user avatar
  • 3,148
1 vote

Can I fix my unset Crème Brûlée bars

It's a bit late for "tomorrow morning" but I would've baked them again at 190°F to evaporate most of the extra moisture. Why 190°F? Well, that is below the boiling point of water but will ...
Fabby's user avatar
  • 5,837
1 vote

How to do creme brulee 'to go'?

If you could find a stainless steel milkshake-cup insert (the sort that you'd use to fill the milkshake cup without spilling while you whizzed it), and it sat 'just right' in your otherwise disposable ...
David Bullock's user avatar
1 vote

What is the point of heating milk/cream for making Creme Brulée?

I have done with heated and not heated cream. No difference in the end result. I found this out when I forgot to heat the cream one time I made it.
user80372's user avatar

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