An elegant New Year's Eve dessert, a fusion between exotic but familiar flavors of cardamon, images of sunshine,orange blossoms and citrus groves.
I am generous with the orange zest and cardamon, do not be tempted to add more sugar to custard, the carmelized sugar on top will add sweetness to the brulee. I use sugar in the row for carmelizing. Instead of finely grated orange zest I zested strands, either one will work out.
Adapted from 'Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee and Other Custard Desserts' by Debbie Puente
Orange cardamon creme brulee:
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
4-6 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cardamon seeds, finely crushed in mortar ans pestle
1/4 cup sugar in the row for carmelized tops (about 2 tablespoons for each custard)
Directions:
Preheat oven the 300F. Boil some water in a pot on top of stove and keep it hot. Whisk egg yolks and 4-6 tablespoons of sugar and beat until light yellow and firm. Add whipping cream, orange liqueur, orange zest, vanilla and cardamon and mix with a spatula gently, in folding motion, until mixed well. Consistency will be liquidy. Line a deep baking dish with a paper towel, place six ramekins inside on top of paper and ladle mixture evenly between ramekins. Pour water into baking dish as a warm water bath for the custard, halfway up the ramekins and place in the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 min. Edges should be firm when done, but middle should be wobbly. Take out and let cool outside in water. Refrigerate. 2 hours prior to serving, place ramekins in ice bath, add 2 tablespoons on top of each custard and carmelize in broiler mode until sugar bubbles. Can carmelize with a torch but be weary of the alcohol in the dish, so use extra caution. It is recommended to eat this custard within three days, but I like it the next day the best.
Look closely at the creme brulee pics and you will see the cardamon speckles and orange peel confetti!!