Orange Almond Creme Brulee Tartlets Recipes

OATMEAL CRèME BRûLéE WITH ALMOND AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter six small ramekins or brûlée dishes. Mix oatmeal, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon zest together. Divide among ramekins; smooth surface of mixture.
• In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, granulated sugar, almonds and remaining orange zest. Heat, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes or until mixture is hot and sugar has dissolved (do not boil). Turn off heat and let infuse 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. Strain cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly; discard solids. Ladle cream and egg mixture into ramekins atop oatmeal. Transfer to a baking dish and pour in enough warm water to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until custards jiggle slightly when dish is moved and center is slightly runny; be careful not to overcook. Remove from water bath and cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, evenly sprinkle each ramekin with about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Using a kitchen torch or under very hot broiler, carefully caramelize sugar until amber brown. Serve immediately or chill again, uncovered, up to 4 hours.

CINNAMON AND ORANGE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, combine the cream, half the sugar, the orange zest, thyme and cinnamon stick. Whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. (This will infuse the cream with all the aromatics.)
• Whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until it becomes a homogeneous mixture. Slowly strain the cooled infused cream into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
• Arrange 4 wide, flat 6-ounce ramekins (with 1-inch sides) in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Carefully fill the ramekins with the custard mixture. Add hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• CAREFULLY place the pan in the oven and bake until the custard is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center but not liquid, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, remove the ramekins and chill the custards completely, at least 1 hour.
• Dust the top of each custard with an even layer of sugar and burn the sugar with a blowtorch. The sugar will harden, turn brown and become crunchy. Torch the custards just before serving.

ORANGE MARMALADE CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spoon 1 tablespoon marmalade into bottom of each of 4 (6-ounce) ceramic ramekins.*
• In small bowl, slightly beat egg yolks with wire whisk. In large bowl, stir whipping cream, 1/3 cup sugar and the vanilla until well mixed. Add egg yolks to cream mixture; beat with wire whisk until evenly colored and well blended.
• In 13x9-inch pan, place ramekins. Pour cream mixture evenly into ramekins. Carefully place pan with ramekins in oven. Pour enough boiling water into pan, being careful not to splash water into ramekins, until water covers 2/3 of the height of the ramekins.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until tops are light golden brown and sides are set (centers will be jiggly).
• Carefully transfer ramekins to cooling rack, using tongs or grasping tops of ramekins with pot holder. Cool 2 hours or until room temperature. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours but no longer than 2 days.
• Uncover ramekins; gently blot any condensation on custards with paper towel. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar over each custard. Holding kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from custard, caramelize sugar on each custard by heating with torch about 2 minutes, moving flame continuously over sugar in circular motion, until sugar is melted and light golden brown. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.

CRèME BRûLéE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Put the flour, a pinch of salt and the butter in a food processor and pulse until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the sugar and orange zest, and briefly pulse again. Pour in 2 tbsp of the egg mixture and pulse until the dough comes together, adding more liquid if needed.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line four deep-fluted tartlet tins (8 x 3cm). Place the tins on a tray and chill for 30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line each pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10-15 mins, until the sides are set. Remove the parchment and beans and cook for 5-10 mins. Leave to cool. Can be made up to 1 day ahead at this stage and be stored in an airtight container. Lower the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Pour the cream into a heavy-based saucepan, scrape in the seeds from the vanilla pod, then throw in the 2 halves of the pod. Heat until small bubbles begin to form around the sides of the pan, then leave to infuse for 5 mins. Remove the pod. In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar. Keep stirring, then pour in the cream, mixing until combined. Strain through a sieve into a jug. Pour the custard into the tart shells, then bake for 18-22 mins until almost set (they should be quite wobbly in the centre but will firm up on cooling). Leave to cool completely, then chill for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel topping. Grease a lipped metal baking tray with a little oil. Tip the caster sugar into a frying pan with 3 tbsp water and heat gently until the sugar starts to melt. Don't be tempted to stir the sugar, as this can encourage the caramel to crystalise. However, you can tilt the pan to move it around. Once the sugar is almost melted, turn up the heat and bubble the caramel to a deep golden-brown colour. Quickly tip onto the greased tray and leave to cool completely. Once cool, turn the tray upside down and tap to release the caramel. Break into pieces, then whizz in a food processor until you have fine crystals.
• Heat the grill. Scatter a thick layer of caramel crystals over the surface of each tart, and pop a collar of foil around the top edge of the pastry. Place under the grill, not too near the heat source, and let the caramel melt - watch carefully as they will burn easily. Leave to cool, then chill for 30 mins or until ready to serve.

CRèME BRûLéE TART

Steps:

• Make tart shell:
• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size lumps of butter. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir into flour (or pulse) until incorporated.
• Gently squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan and fold overhang inward to reinforce side. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork, then line with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until edge is pale golden and side is set, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Carefully remove weights and parchment and bake shell until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Remove tart shell from oven and reduce temperature to 300°F.
• Make filling:
• While shell bakes, split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a heavy medium saucepan with tip of a paring knife. Add pod to saucepan with cream and milk. Heat over medium heat until hot, then let steep off heat 30 minutes.
• Whisk together yolks, whole egg, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a quart measuring cup, then whisk into cream mixture until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into measuring cup.
• Put tart shell (in pan) in a 4-sided sheet pan. Put in oven, then pour custard into shell. Bake until just set but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes (custard will continue to set as it cools). Remove tart from sheet pan and cool on a rack 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour more.
• Just before serving, sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over top of tart. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just above top of tart, avoiding crust, until sugar is caramelized and slightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ORANGE-ALMOND CREME BRULEE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Pulse flour, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. Whisk together egg, yolk, and water. With machine running, quickly add egg mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Set six 4-inch tart rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out six 6-inch circles, rerolling scraps as needed. Press dough into bottoms and up sides of tart rings, patching any holes or tears, leaving an overhang at the top of each. Prick bottoms of tart shells all over with a fork, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim excess dough flush with edges of rings using a knife.
• Bake, pressing down dough if puffing, until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Make orange caramelized almonds: Remove zest from orange in strips using a vegetable peeler; reserve for filling. Cut away pith; slice fruit along membranes to release segments into a bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl; discard. Reserve half the segments for another use; coarsely chop remaining segments.
• Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, washing down sides of pan. Cook, swirling often, until sugar is pale amber and starts to caramelize. Add almonds, and stir to toast. Cook until medium to dark amber in color. Add orange and juice and a pinch of salt. Remove from heat, and stir until smooth.
• Make the filling: Bring cream and reserved orange zest to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; cover, and let stand for 2 hours. Spread 1 tablespoon orange caramelized almonds in a flat, even layer onto bottom of each tart shell (you will have more almonds than needed to cover the tart shell bottoms; reserve remaining almonds for another use). Freeze tart shells until caramel is firm, about 20 minutes.
• Bring cream to just under a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk cream into egg mixture. Strain through a fine sieve; discard zest.
• Divide cream mixture evenly among tart shells, filling each to the top. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until just set, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
• Sprinkle tops with sugar. Hold a small handheld kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle 3 to 4 inches from surface of each tart, and move flame back and forth until sugar is caramelized and deep golden brown, or broil until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately.

ORANGE ALMOND TORTE WITH ORANGE SAUCE AND MARSALA CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment. Butter parchment; dust with flour. Beat 1/2 cup butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add egg, then yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, beat in almonds, flour, orange juice, peel, coriander and salt, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Mix in Marsala.
• Dust cake with powdered sugar. Cut cake into wedges and serve with Orange Sauce and Marsala cream.
• Whisk juice and cornstarch in bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in sugar, orange peel and orange juice mixture. Whisk until sauce boils and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• Orange sauce makes about 1 1/4 cups.

HONEY, ORANGE & ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Put the flour in a food processor with a pinch of salt and the icing sugar, and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and orange zest, and pulse again until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and whizz until it just forms a ball, adding 1 tbsp cold water to bring together if you need to. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll out the rested pastry to 5mm thick and use to line a 20cm fluted tart tin. Chill for 10 mins while you heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Lay a scrunched-up piece of baking parchment in the pastry tin and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the paper and beans, and cook for 5 mins until dry and lightly golden. Trim any overhanging pastry with a serrated knife.
• While the pastry is cooling, make the frangipane. Beat together the butter, sugar and set honey until well combined. Add the ground almonds, orange zest, 2 tbsp of the juice, almond extract and eggs. Beat well to combine (don't worry if the frangipane starts to split slightly, it will be quite loose). Pour into the pastry case, and scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 25-30 mins until the filling is set, and springs back when lightly pressed.
• Warm the remaining orange juice and 2 tbsp honey in a small pan and simmer until it forms a light syrup. Brush over the cooling tart. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or ice cream.

APRICOT-ALMOND TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and water; stir until dough forms a ball. Roll into twenty-four 1-in. balls. Press onto the bottoms and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups., In a small bowl, beat almond paste and butter until blended; beat in egg white and almond extract. Spoon into tart shells, about 2 teaspoons in each., Bake at 350° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Top with apricot preserves.