Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

My first memory of even hearing about Crème Brûlée was watching the movie My Best Friends Wedding.  I didn't know what it was, but man alive I wanted to try it!  Several years later I had the opportunity to try it and I wasn't disappointed!

This isn't a complicated dessert, but it can get a bit tricky to make.  Starts with basic ingredients, just is specific in the instructions.

One thing I need to make clear here is that the cream and the eggs don't get mixed together up front!  I made this mistake and had to try and separate them.  The milk needs to be scalded or cooked until lightly boiling before combining.  From what I found, scalding the milk in advance helps enhance the vanilla flavor and to reduce the cooking time in the oven.  Just in case you were wondering!
Once the milk is ready and combined with the eggs, sugar and vanilla you will carefully want to pour that into your ramekins.

I have been using a lot of vanilla bean lately, hence the dark speckles in mine.  So this is where it gets tricky again.  All of your ramekins need to be transferred, or they could start out in a larger baking pan, like a 9x13 cake pan.  You can then carefully get that in the oven.  Before you start baking though, you need to pour enough hot water in so it comes up half way on the ramekins.  You can put the hot water in the pan prior to putting in the oven, just have to walk and carry carefully! 

The water helps create moisture and keep the Crème Brûlée from cracking. Once baked, let them cool completely.  You will want to make sure they are cold when ready to serve.

Now, if you don't have a torch, like I haven't had for years, when you are ready to serve, sprinkle with sugar and broil in your oven, while the rack is as high as it can get.  It kinda works, but it doesn't give you the same effect of a crispy, sweet sugar layer.  A couple of weeks ago I finally purchased a torch and after much trepidation (reviews of the torch made me nervous to fill and use it!) I was able to melt my sugar like a pro for professional quality custards!

While I am not a Crème Brûlée expert, I have had it at several restaurants and hotels and I thought I did a pretty dang good job!  Since no one else can toot my horn on here, I figure I had better handle it myself!
I can tell you this, I will be making this more often now that I have a torch and won't forget to scald the cream first!

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
As found in the Bonjour Culinary Torch Recipe Book

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Bean paste from 1-2 vanilla beans
Sugar for sprinkling
Fresh berries for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Whisk together the sugar, vanilla extra, vanilla bean and egg yolk until well blended.  Scald the cream on medium till lightly simmering or to 190 degrees.  You will want to keep stirring this so it doesn't burn.  Slowly pour the cream into the egg mixture, while continuously whisking.
2. Place your ramekins into a larger baking dish, like a 9x13 pan.  Slowly pour custard mix into each ramekin, filling about 3/4 way full.  Pour water into the larger baking pan, making sure water doesn't splash into the ramekins.  Water needs to reach about 1/2 of the way up.  Very carefully place entire pan into the oven and back for 20-25 minutes until set.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.
*My ramekins held about 4 oz and this recipe amount filled 4 1/2 of my ramekins.
When ready to serve, sprinkle with sugar, if you like an extra thick crust, be generous.  Using torch, caramelize sugar by moving the flame continuously over the surface in a slow, circular motion.  Serve with fresh berries.
If you don't have a torch, turn your oven to broil and move your oven wrack to the highest level.  Broil custards until lightly browned.  Keep a close eye on them.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

I have said this before but I'm gonna say it again, I love cheesecake!  For me though, I don't like too many crazy toppings if I am eating a cheesecake.  Something simple where I can actually taste the cream cheese is my ideal cheesecake.  This one perfectly fits the bill as it is basic but still has a feeling of decadence with the multiple layers and how much vanilla is in it! 

The Cheesecake Factory and TGI Fridays both have a Vanilla Bean Cheesecake that I love and when you use real vanilla bean this recipe comes pretty darn close to being an exact copy cat!  Now this recipe does end up calling for a total of 4 cubes of cream cheese, which is a lot, but so worth it!  I also found that this one was even better the next day.  I will be making this a day in advance next time!

So thick and creamy!  Don't cut any corners on this one!  If possible, use real vanilla bean too.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Originally found at Kraft Recipes

Ingredients:

40 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened, divided

1 cup  sugar, divided

1 Tbsp.  plus 1 tsp. vanilla, divided

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tub  (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed

8 oz whipping cream, whipped

1/3 cup powdered sugar (for the whipped topping)

Chocolate curls/shavings (optional)

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 325ºF.  Mix wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.  
2.  Beat 3 of the packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.  Bake 50 to 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely in pan.
3. Beat remaining cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer in large bowl until blended. Whisk in whipped topping; spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Frost with whipped cream and top with chocolate curls.  Remove rim of pan before serving cheesecake.

*Using a vanilla bean:
Prepare recipe as directed, using a vanilla bean and reducing vanilla extract to 2 tsp. Use sharp knife to gently split 2 vanilla bean pods lengthwise in half, then scrape seeds into cheesecake batter. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract to the batter.  I chose to add the contents of another bean to the mousse layer in addition to adding 1 teaspoon of extract.  

Enjoy!

French Silk Pie

While the idea of a French Silk Pie is definitely not new or earth shattering, I believe this was my most popular dessert of 2014!  I actually made this once for Thanksgiving and since it was such a huge hit, I made it again for Christmas.

Not only was this the most amazing looking pie I have ever made, it tasted heavenly!

So while it wasn't the most extravagant of desserts with lots of luscious layers, the filling was decadent enough that a lot of extra's wasn't really needed.

I have found that using a traditional crust, which I bought pre-made and then just baked in advance, is the perfect contrast for this super rich pie.  One added benefit is that the pie is rich enough I was cutting very small slices so I was able to serve more than you would guess for a 9" pie.

By cutting very narrow slices, I was able to get 15 servings!  The mousse filling is thick enough it allowed me to cut the narrow slices while still holding it's shape.
So this pie takes the same mousse filling as this one, which is a great summertime version as it includes strawberries, but this makes it more traditional with no fruit and the traditional crust.
I also topped this one with fresh whipped whipping cream before garnishing with chocolate curls.

*Side note: I have found a trick for keeping whipping cream from turning back into liquid.  Buy some unflavored gelatin packets.  Mix about 1 tsp of that powder with about 2 tablespoons of water and let it thicken.  When it is in gel form, add that to your liquid whipping cream.  I had my whipped topping last for 2 days! 

Please make this at some point as you and anyone you share it with won't regret it!

French Silk Pie

Ingredients:

1 pre-made crust, regular or deep dish (if you use regular you might have extra mousse)
8 oz semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 c. water, divided
2 Tbls. butter
3 egg yolks
2 Tbls. sugar
1 1/4 c. whipping cream, whipped (this is for the mousse)
1 c. whipping cream, whipped (topping)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
gelatin and water mixture for a thickening agent; 1 tsp unflavored gelatin and 2 tbls of water.  Let sit until gel like stage.

Directions:

1. In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
2. In a medium to large saucepan whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water.  Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees or 2-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate mixture.  Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Fold in whipped cream until completely blended and pour into prepared crust.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Before serving, whip up whipping cream with powdered sugar and gelatin mixture.  If your gelatin mixture is too thick or not thick enough add more water or gelatin respectively.
5. Frost your pie and then garnish with additional whipped topping and chocolate curls or chocolate shavings.
Indulge and Enjoy!

Pumpkin Roll

This one should have been posted in November, when I made it so I apologize for the delay!  Doesn't change that it was so tasty and will be tasty no matter when you make it! 

I had been afraid to make something that in mind looked hard, when in fact it was really quite easy!  The tricky part comes in removing the cake from the pan in one piece and then getting it onto your prepared cloth!  I'll get to that, but that can be messy!

Start with some fairly basic ingredients for cake making.  My recipe actually comes from an old family cookbook that I know I don't pull out enough.

I am such a visual person and if a recipe doesn't have pictures I'm less likely to make it and this book doesn't have pictures!  Anyway, was worth pulling out and try.  After the cake is mixed up, get it baking.

Now, a couple of keys to cake rolls are 1. Have the right size of pan.  My recipe gave the measurements and I took out a measuring tape and made sure I was using the right size.  Which by the way, wasn't the pan I was going to use originally! 2. Make sure your pan is sprayed/floured!  I found this Pam product that has flour in it and it worked great.  Don't overdue it though, don't want a paste in your pan!
Now, when the cake comes out, only let it cool for just a minute before you start to loosen the cake from the pan.  You are going to want to have dishcloth handy, something that doesn't have a lot of loose fibers or that is thick.  According to the recipe you sprinkle powdered sugar, somewhat generously on the dishcloth before flipping the cake onto it.  When I did that and flipped it, powdered sugar went flying!  My second time around, I tried the reverse and put the powdered sugar on my cake, that actually made a bigger mess!

So go with the powdered sugar on the dishcloth itself!  Use a thin metal spatula to loosen the cake before flipping.  Once on the dishcloth, start at one end and start rolling.  In case you are wondering, YES, the dishcloth does get rolled up with the cake.

This is key, by rolling the cake when it is warm it will take that new shape and stay rolled when filled.  The dishcloth ensures that the cake doesn't stick to itself.   The powered sugar is there to help the cake not stick to the dishcloth.  Once the cake is completely cooled you can spread your cream cheese frosting mixture on it.  Leave a larger border at one short end, this way as you roll you don't end up with a bunch of frosting that got squeezed out!

Roll it back up, leaving the towel out of the roll.  It should roll back pretty easily, the cake will want to be rolled back up.

Once rolled back up, pop it into the freezer so it can get hard.  It needs to be in the frozen state for cutting. Once frozen, cut and serve!

Such a pretty dessert and a crowd pleaser without too much effort!

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. giner
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. sallt
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Filling:
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbls. melted butter

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes; add sugar, lemon juice and pumpkin.  Sift flour, spices and salt.  Fold in liquid ingredients; spread into 15x10x4" greased and floured cookie sheet.  Top with chopped nuts; bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
2. Dust a dish towel with powdered sugar; turn out cake onto towel; roll up dishcloth with cake.  Cool completely in fridge.  Unroll and remove towel.
3. While the cake is cooling, prepare your filling by beating all ingredients until creamy.  Spread over cake; roll cake back up.  Wrap in towel or aluminum foil.  Freeze until you are ready to serve.