Nutella Crème Brûlée

So while my posts have been sporadic, know that that doesn't mean I haven't been baking or cooking, just means I haven't always had the time or been the mood to write the posts that go with the items I have made and photographed!  Doesn't help that until last week I was taking pictures on a now outdated camera phone!
So a couple of months I saw a random post where someone had put a dollop of Nutella at the bottom of their ramekin before filling it with the custard for Crème Brûlée , I knew at that moment I had to try it!  A week or so prior to me making it, I had made the Baked Alaska which called for a lot of egg whites.  I opted to keep the egg yolks knowing I would find a use and then it hit me, Crème Brûlée takes lots of yolks and no whites!  I am hoping to make another Baked Alaska in my future and I know it will be shortly followed by some variety of Crème Brûlée !

I used the same basic Crème Brûlée recipe as before, since I still just love it.  The only difference in the preparation process was about a tablespoon of Nutella before pouring the custard in.

I am a huge fan of Nutella, so I might have gone a bit overboard on the amount as this ended up being a very rich dessert!  Also, something I learned that in the future, I would try and spread the Nutella around a bit, instead of just a dollop in the center.  Something else I would do differently, try and serve it fairly quickly.  After baking it needs to cool for a bit and then be chilled for at least 30 minutes.  To keep the Nutella from getting too hard I would serve it as close to that 30 minute mark as possible.

It was pretty amazing though, even if a tad rich right at the center!

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
3-4 tablespoons of Nutella, based on preference
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.  Drop/spread your Nutella in the bottom, spreading it around a bit.  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.