Marjoram Scented Crème Caramel With Chilled Rhubarb Crumble Recipes

MARJORAM-SCENTED CRèME CARAMEL WITH CHILLED RHUBARB CRUMBLE

Steps:

• For the crème caramel, put the milk and marjoram sprigs into a saucepan, then bring the milk just to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and infuse. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/ gas 1. Put 4 x 125-150ml ramekin dishes in a small roasting tin.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel. Tip 100g of the sugar and 2 tbsp of water into a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Heat over a very low heat until the sugar has dissolved - about 7-8 mins, then turn the heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup turns a deep golden caramel colour, 4-5 mins. Remove from the heat, let the bubbles briefly subside, then carefully pour the hot caramel into ramekins. Leave to set, 5 mins. Whisk together (using a wire whisk or fork) the eggs and the remaining 50g of sugar for the crème caramel. Pour the cooled milk over the eggs and sugar, then whisk again.
• Strain the milk mixture into a jug, then pour into the ramekins. Pour enough hot water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30 mins, or until set with a slight wobble in the middle. Carefully remove from the water, leave to cool, then refrigerate for a few hrs or overnight. Meanwhile, increase the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• For the rhubarb, pour 200ml water into a wide shallow pan. Tip in the sugar, the star anise, scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod into the pan, then drop in the pod. Heat very slowly until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then boil to reduce by a third (takes about 6-8 mins). Lay the rhubarb in the pan in a single layer then simmer very gently for about 2-3 mins for young, thin pieces or up to 5 mins for thicker pieces, until just soft but still holding its shape. Stir in a tiny bit of red food colouring if you want to make the syrup a shade pinker. Leave rhubarb to marinate in the syrup until cold.
• To make the crumble, rub the flour, butter and sugar through your fingers to make fine crumbs. Scatter onto a small baking tray in an even layer and bake about 12-15 mins, or until pale golden brown. Remove and cool. All can be prepared a day ahead to this stage.
• To serve, drain the rhubarb, reserving the syrup. If this is very thin, reduce in a small pan to a thick-ish syrup. Turn out each crème caramel onto a small plate, then, using a wide palette knife or spatula, carefully lift each one onto a larger serving plate, placing it to one side. Spoon a little of the drained caramel on top. Arrange a small, neat pile of 5 rhubarb pieces per serving next to each crème caramel. Scatter a little crumble and a few marjoram leaves over the rhubarb. (Any leftover crumble can be used to sprinkle over other desserts.) Finish with a drizzle of syrup around the rhubarb and serve the rest separately.

CHEF JOHN'S CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 4 heatproof 6.5-oz. ramekins with vegetable spray. Place ramekins in a casserole dish.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. When sugar begins to melt around the edges, gently shake the pan continually, swirling sugar around, until all the sugar melts; don't use utensils to stir. When sugar is completely melted and dark brown, remove the pan from heat.
• Quickly pour equal amounts of caramel syrup into the 4 prepared ramekins.
• Place 1 egg and 3 egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy, about 1 minute.
• Spoon the creme fraiche into the egg mixture; add the milk, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Whisk together until ingredients are completely mixed.
• Ladle mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Fill casserole with hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place casserole on middle rack of preheated oven.
• Bake until just barely set, 45 to 50 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the casserole to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, run a sharp paring knife around the edge of each custard.
• To unmold, cover ramekin with a small plate, then invert. Chill before serving.

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Make the caramel: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Divide sugar evenly between two 4-cup charlotte molds; add 2 tablespoons water to each and swirl to combine (do not stir). Place molds over low heat; cover, and cook until sugar has dissolved.
• Uncover molds and increase heat to high; cook, swirling, until sugar mixture begins to caramelize. Remove from heat and immediately plunge molds into ice-water baths to stop cooking, about 30 seconds. Swirl caramel to evenly cover bottom of molds; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Make the custard: Place cream, milk, and vanilla bean and seeds or extract in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk sugar with eggs and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Remove vanilla bean from milk mixture; whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to egg mixture. Strain and divide custard evenly between both charlotte molds.
• Place charlotte molds in a roasting pan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Transfer pan to oven and bake until custard is firm, about 45 minutes. Remove custards from pan and let cool; transfer to refrigerator until chilled.
• To unmold, run a sharp knife or offset spatula around the edge of the custard; dip mold into hot water to help remove if necessary. Quickly invert onto serving dish. Pour any remaining caramel around the custard; serve.

RHUBARB ICE CREAM WITH A CARAMEL SWIRL

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, 3/4 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla bean seeds and its pod. Simmer gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod and return mixture to a bare simmer.
• Place the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Scrape the custard back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in sour cream. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup sugar. Simmer until rhubarb is just tender and has begun releasing its juices, but has not started to fall apart, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Continue to simmer the juices until syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Pour the syrup over the rhubarb. Cool completely.
• In a clean, dry and preferably nonstick skillet, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat. When it begins to melt and lightly color, sprinkle in 2 more tablespoons and start swirling pan to help evenly distribute sugar. Add the final 2 tablespoons and cook, swirling pan until all the sugar has melted. Let cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns dark brown. Pour in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons water (stand back; it may splatter). Simmer, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula until smooth. Cool completely.
• Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.
• Scrape a quarter of the caramel into the bottom of a freezer-proof quart container. Top with a quarter of the ice cream. Repeat layering until all of the caramel and ice cream has been used, ending with the ice cream. Freeze until firm for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place eight 4-ounce ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add 4 tablespoons water to a small pot. Add 1 cup sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook over medium-high, swirling occasionally, until caramel begins to turn amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Working quickly, divide caramel between ramekins, swirling ramekins to coat bottoms evenly, set aside.
• In a medium pot, heat milk over medium until hot, but not boiling. In a medium bowl whisk together whole eggs and yolks, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. While whisking, ladle some milk into the egg mixture. Whisk in remaining milk, one ladle at a time. Strain through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup, and stir in vanilla. Divide custard evenly among ramekins.
• Transfer roasting pan to oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, about 35 minutes.
• With tongs, remove ramekins from hot water and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To unmold, run a sharp knife around inside of each ramekins and invert onto a serving plate, gently shaking to release.