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Chocolate Creme Brulee

After a friend recommended the movie “Paris Can Wait,” with Diane Lane, I simply had to indulge her and her husband with a Chocolate Creme Brulee at our weekly dinner.  This recipe is from Chocolate Epiphany by Chef Francois Payard (with delectable photography by Rogerio Voltan).  We were only 4 persons, and I only had 4-ounce (not 6-ounce) ramekins, so I halved Chef Payard’s ingredients.  You might try reducing the sugar just a bit further.  

Chocolate Creme Brulee
Serves 4
Easier to make than you think, this chocolate version of a French classic can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.
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Ingredients
  1. 6 oz 72% chocolate, chopped
  2. 1/3 cup sugar
  3. 4 large egg yolks
  4. 3 c/ plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Arrange 4 four-ounce ramekins in a shallow baking pan (like an 8" x 8" brownie pan).
  3. Place approximately a quart of water to boil.
  4. In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs until yellow and thicker than when they came out of the shell. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until thick and pale yellow.
  5. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until bubbles form at the edges of the pan (just before it boils). Remove from heat and stir/whisk in the chocolate until it is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  6. Take a ladel-ful of the chocolate mixture and very slowly, drizzle it into the egg mixture to temper the eggs, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from curdling.
  7. With the whisk on medium, slowly pour in the rest of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, until everything is combined.
  8. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a pitcher. At this point you can cover and refrigerate the mixture for up to 2 days.)
  9. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins.
  10. Take the boiling water and pour it into a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup with spout.
  11. Place the ramekins in the oven.
  12. Carefully pour the water into the shallow baking pan until it reaches approximately halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  13. Bake the custards for 1 hour, until the custard is just set.
  14. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
  15. Referigerate the ramekins until the custard is completely set and chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
  16. FINISH THE DESSERT: With the ramekins on a baking sheet, spread the top of each custard with an even layer of about 1 tablespoon sugar. Burn the sugar with a kitchen torch until it forms a crisp, caramel-colored crust, being careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Notes
  1. Chef Payard recommends using dried brown sugar (as regular brown sugar out of the box has too high a moisture content to caramelize). To dry brown sugar, place the sugar on a baking sheet and dry it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Farenheit for about 1 hour. Transfer the sugar to a bowl fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to break up the lumps.
Adapted from Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard
Adapted from Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Eggplant Caponata and Roasted Tomato Tart

8924_Eggplant and Tomato Tart

This recipe packs a lot of flavor in small bites – pureed Italian caponata for the eggplant filling, cream cheese to offset the smokiness of paprika in the tart shell, and fresh oregano on the roasted grape tomatoes. Serve with a salad of mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette.  Pastry and roasted grape tomatoes adapted from Tarts, Sweet and Savory by Maxine Clark; caponata adapted from the Italian Kitchen Bible by Kate Whiteman, Jeni Wright and Angela Boggiano.

Caponata and Roasted Grape Tomato Tart
Try the individual components alone, in a salad, or as a side. Put them together for a tastebud adventure.
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Ingredients
  1. TART PASTRY
  2. ========================
  3. 6 tblsp butter
  4. 1 c. plus 2 tblsp. flour
  5. 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
  6. 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
  7. 1/2 c. cream cheese
  8. 1 large egg yolk
  9. 2 tblsp. ice water
  10. sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  11. ROASTED GRAPE TOMATOES
  12. =========================
  13. 2 pints grape tomatoes
  14. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  15. 1 to 2 tblsp. chopped fresh oregano
  16. 1/4 c. olive oil
  17. sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  18. CAPONATA FILLING
  19. =========================
  20. 1 large eggplant (about 1-1/2 lb.)
  21. 4 tbsp. olive oil
  22. grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  23. 2 tbsp. capers
  24. 12 pimiento-stuffed olives
  25. 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  26. salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. TART SHELL: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the flour, paprika, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and flour in the bowl of a food processor and pulse once to blend.
  3. Add the butter and pulse quickly until the mixture is very coarse and crumbly.
  4. Add the cream cheese and pulse a few times, so that the mixture is still coarse and crumbly.
  5. Mix the egg with 2 tblsp. ice water and pour in slowly, pulsing until just mixed into a soft dough.
  6. Working quickly, form the dough into an oblong (or round) shape about 1-inch thick, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
  7. Roll out the dough, place in the tart shell, and refrigerate or freeze for another 15 minutes.
  8. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork, line the shell with aluminum foil, place pie weights or dried beans on the foil, and bake blind for 10 - 12 minutes. Place on a rack to cool.
  9. SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES: Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer.
  10. Combine the oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and brush over the tomatoes.
  11. Bake slowly for approximately 60 minutes. The tomatoes should shrink only slightly and should remain a bright red color. (They will cook another 25 minutes when the tart is assembled.)
  12. The tomatoes can be roasted up to a day ahead. Simply ensure they are brushed with oil and covered tightly in the refrigerator.
  13. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  14. EGGPLANT CAPONATA FILLING: Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes.
  15. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the eggplant cubes over medium heat in two batches for about 10 minutes, tossing regularly, until golden and softened.
  16. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
  17. Place the eggplant cubes in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon rind and juice, capers, olives, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  18. Puree half the mixture for the tart filling and refrigerate the rest to serve with a salad.
  19. ASSEMBLY: Break an egg into a bowl, whisk with a fork and add the eggplant puree. Mix until blended.
  20. Place the eggplant puree mix into the half-baked tart shell. The mixture to reach just short of the top.
  21. Arrange roasted grape tomatoes on the tart.
  22. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.
  23. Remove from the oven and let cool. Brush lightly with olive oil and serve.
Adapted from Tarts Savory and Sweet; and The Italian Kitchen Bible
Adapted from Tarts Savory and Sweet; and The Italian Kitchen Bible
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/