Sycamore May

Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée

Print Recipe
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Need 6 (7-8 ounce) ramekins
  • Mini blowtorch

Ingredients

  • 6 The Farmer's Hen large egg yolks
  • 1 quart heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extra or vanilla bean powder found at specialty grocery stores)
  • 1 cup caster sugar (fine sugar), divided
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325F.
  • In a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil then turn down the heat to low until you need it for the water bath for cooking the crème brulee.
  • Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use. (I like to put my old vanilla bean pods in 2 cups of white sugar in an airtight container- now you have vanilla sugar for next time you bake!)
  • Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup caster sugar, salt, and the egg yolks until well blended and it the yolks are a pale yellow. Add ½ cup of the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks, stirring continually (this process will make sure the eggs don’t scramble). Add the remaining cream and stir until combined. Let the custard sit for 5 minutes then, using a small spoon, scoop the excess foam off the top of the custard. Place the ramekins in a large cake or roasting pan then gently pour the liquid into each of them equally. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the creme brulee is just set, but still trembling in the center – about 40 to 45 minutes. You are looking for the center part to jiggle when you check it. If it looks  more like a lava lamp in the middle, you need to cook it a bit longer.
  • Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup caster sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

How to separate egg yolks:
There are many ways to do this, but the simple way is to crack the egg into your clean hand over a bowl in your kitchen sink. Slightly separate your fingers so that the egg-whites slip between the cracks in your fingers into the bowl. Gently place the egg yolk in a different bowl. Repeat until you have the amount that you need.

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Brioche French Toast

Brioche French Toast

Print Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 6 The Farmer's Hen large eggs
  • 1/2 cip heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
  • 6 ¾-inch-thick brioche bread
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided, plus more for serving
  • Pure maple syrup, fresh berries, or powdered sugar (for serving)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250°F.
  • Lightly beat eggs, cream, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a large shallow bowl. Dip the bread into the custard, turn to coat, then press down gently on bread until you feel it start to soak up custard mixture – let the bread sit to soak while the skillet comes to temperature.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, carefully lift 3 slices of bread from custard, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and cook in skillet until golden brown and center of toast springs back when pressed, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer toast to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven while you cook remaining slices of bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
  • Serve French toast with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, and/or powdered sugar.

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Bacon + Blue Cheese Quiche With A Kick

Bacon + Blue Cheese Quiche With A Kick

Print Recipe
Course Breakfast
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 1  (9-inch pie crust) prebaked
  • 4 thick cut slices of bacon, cut into ½” strips
  • 3 scallions, whites and greens separated
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 The Farmer's Hen large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce (we love crystal brand)
  • 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles, reserve ¼ cup for garnish
  • 3/4 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out the pie crust and fit it into the pie plate. Trim away any overhang and reserve for patching up any cracks that appear during baking. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.
  • Cover the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are snug against the sides of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment. Bake until just starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Cool while you prepare the filling.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat cook the bacon until crispy – about 12 minutes. Drain the bacon onto a bowl lined with a paper towel, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the accumulated drippings in the skillet. Add the white parts of the scallions (reserve the green parts for garnish), celery, and garlic to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are just slightly soft – 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the vegetables over the bacon and set aside while making the custard. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, cheese, heavy cream, milk and the hot sauce until completely combined. in ½ cup of the blue cheese, ¾ cups cheddar cheese, and the vegetable bacon mixture.
  • Sprinkle ½ cup of the blue cheese, ¾ cups cheddar cheese, and the vegetable bacon mixture into the pie crust then pour the custard over the top of the cheese and vegetables.
  • Bake the quiche until the edges are set but it still jiggles a little in the center, 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Cool for at least 15 minutes, (this helps the quiche get a bit more set as it the custard continues to cook from residual heat) but can be left overnight in the refrigerator also.
  • Quiche can be served cold, room temperature, or warmed. If serving warm, heat in a 300°F oven until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of blue cheese crumbles, the reserved green scallions and a few cranks of fresh ground black pepper.

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