Crème Brûlée
With its rich, velvety custard and crackling sugar crust, crème brûlée is always a crowd-pleaser. Our version includes vanilla bean paste, which infuses the dessert with flecks of vanilla bean seeds. The Philips Air Cooker is ideal for baking the custards because its even heat circulation produces perfect results. You can also manage the cooking through your phone, and it frees up space in your oven so you can prepare the main course or other dishes. If you prefer, you can bake the custards up to three days in advance. All that’s left to do is sprinkle them with a little sugar and then caramelize the tops with a handheld kitchen torch or a quick pass under the broiler.
Ingredients:
- 8 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (2 1/4 oz./67 g) plus 8 tsp. sugar
- 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Fresh berries for serving (optional)
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the 1/3 cup (2 1/4 oz./67 g) sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla and salt and whisk until well blended. Strain the mixture into a large liquid measuring cup or a pitcher, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
Fill a pitcher with enough water to fill the air cooker tray of a Philips Air Cooker. Set aside.
Divide the egg mixture among eight 3-oz. (80-ml) ramekins (about 3 oz./90 g of the mixture per ramekin). Using a spoon, gently skim off any visible foam or bubbles. Carefully place 4 ramekins in the air cooker tray.
Fill the tray with enough water from the pitcher to come about two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Set the air cooker to 300°F (150°C). Bake until the custards are set around the edges but are still loose in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the tray from the air cooker and let the ramekins stand in the water bath until cool, then remove them from the water bath. Pour out the water in the tray. Repeat to cook the remaining ramekins, using fresh water in the tray, then let the custards cool. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 tsp. sugar over each custard. For best results, use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, heat a broiler on the highest setting, then place the ramekins on the top rack 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the heat source; broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, 3 to 5 minutes. Refrigerate the custards for a few minutes before serving to set the crème brûlée. Serves 8.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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