This is about something that I’ve always wanted to try. Not making Creme Brûlée. I mean getting to use a blowtorch in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, Creme Brûlée is fantastic! But there’s something about the whoosh of a blue-hot flame that is just freaking cool. Or hot… cool and hot?
This is getting too close to being a Katy Perry song….
I have always liked Creme Brûlée, though. It’s so creamy and has a wonderful caramelized crust that crunches when your spoon falls into it. But, I didn’t want to just make plain Creme Brûlée. It’s very sweet and decadent. I wanted the dessert in a different style, with something to balance the sweet and a touch of tart. So, I went with a Bourbon Creme Brûlée, adding in Woodford Reserve bourbon before baking to give it a different flavor than just cream and sugar. For the touch of tart, I decided that I wanted fruit. What’s in season right now? Honey Crisp apples. Who doesn’t love Honey Crisp apples? So, I decided on a Honey Crisp Apple Compote to go on top (compote in this regard is just a silly word meaning fruit pieces cooked in syrup).
The scraped bean
Anyway, to start with, I measured out the whipping cream and split the vanilla bean. I’ve never used a fresh vanilla bean before. It smelled amazing. You could substitute vanilla extract if you’d rather, but it’s worth it to use the bean. Once split, you scrape out the pulp from the bean and put the bean and the pulp into a saucepan, with the whipping cream. And then I heated it up to a simmer on medium high. The sweet aroma is really good by the end. Once the cream started to simmer, I removed it from heat and let it rest, covered, for fifteen minutes.
Starting to smell like Creme Brûlée….
I then separated three egg yolks and added them to a mixing bowl with the sugar, whisking them around until they became uniform and lighter in color. Then I added the bourbon and whisked in the whiskey (See what I did there? Yeah… it wasn’t very funny to me either….). Then, once the cream was finished resting, I mixed it in very slowly with the yolk and sugar mixture, blending it until everything was mixed together.
I poured the mixture into three ramekins—which is my new favorite word—and put them in a baking pan that I filled with hot water partially to help them cook properly. Then I slid the pan and ramekins into the oven pre-heated at 325 degrees. They stay in there for about 40 minutes. I removed the pan once the mixture was set, but the center still wobbly. Otherwise it won’t have it’s defining, creamy texture.
The ramekins were set in a refrigerator for about two hours. So, now that I had time, I started on the compote.
I heated up the orange juice and lemon juice and then added the sugar and cinnamon stick, letting them simmer a bit. I grated fresh nutmeg into it and vaguely wondered what the entire hunk of nutmeg would taste like, since it smelled so good.
I need to use this more often
While the syrup was cooking, I started chopping up the apples and then added them to the pot. The chunks will shrink when cooked, so don’t make them too small, but they’re for a topping so they don’t need to be huge. I cooked the whole thing until the apples were tender and the syrup reduced. I threw in pecan chips for a slightly different flavor. The syrup wasn’t thick enough, so I added molasses and sugar to taste.
The compote cooking
It tasted pretty damn good.
Once done, I refrigerated the compote and waited.
And waited.
Wait… Something’s missing
Once the Creme Brûlée had rested enough, I took it out and let it sit on the counter for thirty minutes, which seemed a bit too long. I’d recommend fifteen or so. It depends on how thin you’d like the dish to be and if you want it a bit cold or at room temperature. I sprinkled sugar on top—not too much, but enough to make the crust. Then I got ready for my favorite part—using the blowtorch.
That’s better
You should probably use a kitchen torch. I don’t have one. But I do have a welding blowtorch. It’s a bit larger, but will get the job done and looks pretty awesome. Once ignited, I made little circles over the sugar until it started to boil, then picked up the ramekin and rotated it while still using the flame.
Once the crust looks perfect, it’s done. Let it sit for five more minutes and then top it with the compote, either warm or cold. I put a few more pecan chips on top as well.
The finished dessert
Here’s the recipe:
Bourbon Creme Brûlée With Apple Compote
Ingredients
For the Creme Brûlée
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Vanilla Bean
3 Egg Yolks
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Bourbon (or to taste)
Additional Sugar for Caramelization
For the Apple Compote
2 Medium-Large Apples (Honeycrisp if in Season)
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Tablespoon Chopped Pecans
1 Tablespoon Molasses
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Split the vanilla bean down the center and scrape the pulp out using the dull edge of the knife.
Add the vanilla bean and vanilla bean pulp to a medium sauce pan with the heavy cream. Bring to a light boil at medium heat and remove from heat immediately and cover. Let stand for 15 minutes and discard vanilla bean.
Mix together egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl, whisking until the mixture takes on a lighter color. Add bourbon to mixture and whisk until evenly distributed. Add cream a little at a time, whisking the mixture to evenly mix it. Evenly distribute mixture into 3 ramekins and place ramekins in cake pan. Fill cake pan with hot water until the water comes halfway up the ramekins to ensure even cooking. Cook 40 to 45 minutes, until brûlée is set, but still trembling in the center.
Let rest in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Heat up orange juice and lemon juice mixture in a medium saucepan on medium high heat until mixture begins to evaporate. Add brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon stick and allow to simmer.
Peel, core and dice apples into chunks.
When the sauce is just beginning to boil, add the apples in. Add chopped pecans. Let cook, stirring occasionally until apples are tender and syrup has thickened. Add molasses and sugar to taste as syrup reduces.
Cool compote in refrigerator or let stand for fifteen minutes prior to serving.
Once the Creme Brûlée has rested in refrigerator, pull out and let sit on counter for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Distribute sugar on top of Creme Brûlée, across whole surface for top. Keep even and do not use too much. Just an even coating.
Ignite torch and torch the top of the Creme Brûlée with blue flame, making small circles with torch until the sugar begins to boil. Lift up the ramekin in hand and rotate it around flame until crust caramelizes, forming a hard, brown surface on top of the Creme Brûlée. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
Top Creme Brûlée with Apple Compote (chilled or warmed) and sprinkle a couple of pinches of chopped pecans on top.
Chill remaining Apple Compote for use in additional Creme Brûlée or other dishes.
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