With its crisp caramelised surface and velvety custard beneath, Crème Brûlée remains a classic of French tables. Today the popular recipe continues to inspire chefs who revisit the traditional vanilla base with subtle, creative variations.
Its origins lie between France and Spain, with references to crema catalana dating back to 14th-century Catalonia. Yet it was in 17th-century France that the dessert took its modern form, when François Massialot, chef to the Duc d’Orléans, introduced the technique of caramelising sugar by passing a heated iron over the surface of the cream.
This recipe is from Delia Smith’s How to Cook book. And in it, she thanks Alain Benech, “our very French chef at the football club, whom I persuaded to part with his delicious recipe for you all to make.” But a word of warning, you will need a blowtorch if you want to make the iconic Crème Brûlée.
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large passion fruit (about 250ml of pulp)
- 7 large egg yolks
- 150g of golden caster sugar
- 400ml of double cream
- 55ml of organic full fat milk
Utensils
- A chef’s blowtorch
- 8 x 4cm deep, 7cm diameter oven-proof ramekins
- A plastic spray bottle
- A large oven-proof dish
- First, pre-heat the oven to 150°C. Start by cutting the passion fruits in half, and scoop the fruits and seeds into a large mixing bowl.
- Next add the egg yolks and 75g of the sugar to the bowl, Then using an electric hand whisk on a high speed, mix all the ingredients together for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is pale in colour
- Time to heat the cream and milk in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisking now and then, until hot but make sure it doesn’t boil.
- Now, with the whisk on a slow speed, add the hot cream into the mixture, keeping the whisk running while doing so. Then strain the custard through a sieve into a large jug, and get rid of the passion fruit seeds.
- Next, you need to put the ramekins into an oven proof dish and fill them with the mixture. Now fill the dish with boiling water to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins and place it on the centre shelf of the oven.
- Time to let them cook gently for 40 minutes. They are ready when the custard is set but still wobbles when you move them gently.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool, then cover them with clingfilm and put them in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or, preferably, overnight.
- After taking them out of the fridge, sprinkle each ramekin evenly with some of the remaining 50 g of sugar, dividing it equally. Then very lightly spray the surface with water, using the spray bottle. (This will help to melt the sugar, and make the caramelising process faster).
- Now use the blowtorch to melt and caramelise the sugar by holding it over each ramekin, and be careful to aim the top of the flame at the sugar. You will immediately see the surface begin to bubble and melt, before turning to a golden caramel colour. As soon as the surface shows a dark brown colour, you can move on to the next one. Continue until they all display the signature glazed surface of the Crème Brûlée.
- Finally, allow to cool before serving and decorate with a couple of mint leaves (to add a lovely fresh scent).
