Almond Crème Brûlée

Tip: It’s important to temper the egg mixture to avoid scrambling the eggs as you add the hot cream to the mixture.

Special Equipment: fine mesh sleeve, four 6oz ramekins, a kitchen torch

Recipe makes 4 servings. Total time 3 hours and includes chilling. Active time 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for topping creme brûlée
• 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon amaretto
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 vanilla bean
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ cup granulated sugar for topping and torching creme brûlée
• ¼ cup sliced almonds for topping creme brûlée

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.
2. Combine the cream, amaretto, almond extract, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Cut a lengthwise slit in the vanilla bean. Use the tip of a sharp knife to scoop and scrape the seeds out of the pod. Add both the seeds and the pod to the pot. Heat the cream mixture over low heat until it just begins to steam and simmer. Turn off the heat.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup of sugar in a large bowl until fully combined. Whisk constantly and use a ladle to add a small amount of the hot cream mixture to the egg mixture. Add the rest of the cream mixture gradually, whisking the egg mixture as you go. Pour the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve. 
4. Place the ramekins into a baking pan. Use a heat proof liquid measuring cup to pour equal amounts of the custard mixture into the ramekins, filling them to a half of a centimeter from the top. 
5. Fill the baking pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully move the pan into the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until the center of each custard is just set. Transfer ramekins from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
6. Just before serving, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar in an even layer over the top of each creme brulee. Use a torch to melt and caramelize the sugar. Move the torch constantly as you work to create and brown an even layer of caramelized sugar over the top of each dessert. If you do not have a torch, turn the oven to broil. Move your oven rack so that the ramekins will be about 3 inches from the heat source. Broil until the sugar melts and browns. This should take about 2-3 minutes, depending on the oven.
7. Let cool for five minutes, garnish with a few sliced almonds and serve.  

Recipe first featured on Ranch To Table Season 4 Episode 1: "Crème Brûlée Day" on the Magnolia Network.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth