From the Saute Pan: Irish Creme Brulee

For Christmakkah, A got me an awesome gift.  We have a rule in our relationship: Appliances do not count as presents.  That means no vacuum cleaners for birthdays, or toaster ovens for Hanukkah.  A was worried this might count.  But since it involves butane gas and is something I never would have bought for myself, he decided it didn't.  I'm so glad, because otherwise we'd not have been able to make this delicious creme brulee!  I'm sure you've guessed what he got me... a butane torch and ramekin set!  Exciting!

First recipe we tried: Irish Creme Brulee.  And since I used a combination of two recipes and some tips I read online, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is one recipe we didn't steal.  

Dish: Irish Creme Brulee

Eaten With: After two different dinners.

Main Ingredients: Egg yolk, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, Baileys Irish Cream

How to Make It:

1. Beat 2 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of white sugar.  Beat in 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract until thick and creamy.  (A is great at separating egg yolks!)

2. Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan along with about 1 tablespoon of Baileys and stir over low heat until it almost boils.  Remove from heat.

3. Stir heated cream into the egg yolk mixture and beat until combined.
4. Pour cream mixture back into the sauce pan and heat, stirring continuously until the mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon (approximately 3 minutes).
5. Pour into ramekins.  (Should have made 2, but actually fit into 3 6oz ramekins.)  Set ramekins into a baking pan and fill with warm water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven when the custard jiggles slightly in the middle (more of a gel jiggle than a liquid jiggle).
8. Let custard cool in the pan to room temperature.

9. Refrigerate the custard for a minimum of one hour, or overnight.

10. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of white sugar and a few teaspoons of brown sugar.  Sift the mixture over the custard.
11. With a butane torch, melt the sugar layer on top of the custard.  Don't hold the flame too close to the sugar or it will burn.

There you have it!  Irish creme brulee!

As a side note, we let Orion approve our wine choice... she gives consent by licking the bottle once.  (How can you not approve Sebeka, anyways?)