Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Coconut Caramel Crème Brûlée
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
30 mins
40 mins
5 hours 45 mins
Serves:
8 individual crème brûlées
Moyin created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. A caramel-infused coconut custard is baked low and slow, then finished with a glassy torched sugar crust. The judges praised its spot-on texture and how beautifully the coconut came through. It was part of his "Lagos to London" dessert...
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Ingredients
FOR THE CARAMEL COCONUT CREAM: 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well shaken (one can; not light) 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 2 tbsp (30 ml) water 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
FOR THE CUSTARD: 8 large egg yolks (about 150 g), at room temperature 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
FOR THE BRÛLÉE TOPPING: 1/2 cup (100 g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
EQUIPMENT: 8 shallow 4-oz (120 ml) ramekins or crème brûlée dishes Roasting pan deep enough for a water bath Kettle Small saucepan Heavy-bottomed, light-colored saucepan Whisk Fine-mesh sieve Large pitcher Instant-read thermometer Wire rack Paper towels Kitchen blowtorch
Method
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND WARM THE LIQUIDS
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C), or 280°F (140°C) fan. Set the ramekins in the roasting pan and bring a kettle of water to a boil. In the small saucepan, warm the coconut milk and heavy cream together until hot but not boiling. Keep them warm; cold liquid added to hot caramel will make it seize.
STEP 2: MAKE THE CARAMEL COCONUT CREAM
Put the 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and the water in the heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and cooks to a deep amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and pour in a little of the warm coconut cream; it will bubble up hard. Add the rest gradually, then return the pan to low heat and stir until any hardened caramel has dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
STEP 3: MAKE THE CUSTARD
Whisk the egg yolks with the 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar just until smooth; do not whip in air. Pour the warm caramel coconut cream onto the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Strain through the fine-mesh sieve into the pitcher and skim off any foam. Use yolks and liquid only, with no starch, to keep the set soft and spoonable.
STEP 4: BAKE IN A WATER BATH
Divide the custard among the ramekins. Pour just-boiled water into the roasting pan to come halfway up their sides. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers wobble like jelly when nudged, about 175°F (80°C) in the middle on an instant-read thermometer. Check early; shallow dishes cook fast, and overbaking makes the custard firm and grainy.
STEP 5: COOL AND CHILL
Lift the ramekins out of the water and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Chill, uncovered at first and then covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. The custard firms as it chills.
STEP 6: TORCH THE TOPS
Blot any condensation off the surface with a paper towel. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of caster sugar evenly over each custard, tipping off the excess. Torch from a few inches away, moving steadily, until the sugar melts and turns deep amber. Leave for 2 minutes so the crust sets hard, then serve while the custard is still cold underneath.
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Instructions
FOR THE CARAMEL COCONUT CREAM:
1 2/3 cups (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well shaken (one can; not light)
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)1/4 tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
FOR THE CUSTARD:
8 large egg yolks (about 150 g), at room temperature
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
FOR THE BRÛLÉE TOPPING:
1/2 cup (100 g) caster sugar (/interesting-ingredients/caster-sugar)(superfine sugar)
EQUIPMENT:
8 shallow 4-oz (120 ml) ramekins or crème brûlée dishes
Roasting pan deep enough for a water bath
Kettle
Small saucepan
Heavy-bottomed, light-colored saucepan
Whisk
Fine-mesh sieve
Large pitcher
Instant-read thermometer
Wire rack
Paper towels
Kitchen blowtorch
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND WARM THE LIQUIDS
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C), or 280°F (140°C) fan. Set the ramekins in the roasting pan and bring a kettle of water to a boil. In the small saucepan, warm the coconut milk and heavy cream together until hot but not boiling. Keep them warm; cold liquid added to hot caramel will make it seize.
STEP 2: MAKE THE CARAMEL COCONUT CREAM
Put the 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and the water in the heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and cooks to a deep amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and pour in a little of the warm coconut cream; it will bubble up hard. Add the rest gradually, then return the pan to low heat and stir until any hardened caramel has dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
STEP 3: MAKE THE CUSTARD
Whisk the egg yolks with the 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar just until smooth; do not whip in air. Pour the warm caramel coconut cream onto the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Strain through the fine-mesh sieve into the pitcher and skim off any foam. Use yolks and liquid only, with no starch, to keep the set soft and spoonable.
STEP 4: BAKE IN A WATER BATH
Divide the custard among the ramekins. Pour just-boiled water into the roasting pan to come halfway up their sides. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers wobble like jelly when nudged, about 175°F (80°C) in the middle on an instant-read thermometer. Check early; shallow dishes cook fast, and overbaking makes the custard firm and grainy.
STEP 5: COOL AND CHILL
Lift the ramekins out of the water and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Chill, uncovered at first and then covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. The custard firms as it chills.
STEP 6: TORCH THE TOPS
Blot any condensation off the surface with a paper towel. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of caster sugar evenly over each custard, tipping off the excess. Torch from a few inches away, moving steadily, until the sugar melts and turns deep amber. Leave for 2 minutes so the crust sets hard, then serve while the custard is still cold underneath.
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