Cinnamon Roll Creme Brulee

One word....RumChata.  And then as George Takei would say, oh myyyy!



On the label RumChata is described as rum with dairy cream but oh, it is so much more.  Honestly, it tastes like the milk from a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch cereal.  I am in love.  When I bought this bottle I had one taste and couldn't wait to get started baking with it. My first adventure is this RumChata infused crème brulee.

Crème brulee is a baked custard with a crunchy burnt sugar top.  It sounds scary and complicated but it really isn't.  It's one of those fancy pants desserts I reserve for company.  I make it in advance and burn the sugar top with a small kitchen torch just before serving. Guests are always overly impressed by the torch. Go figure.




CINNAMON ROLL CREME BRULEE
Yield = 6 servings

2C heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1/3C sugar plus extra for dusting
1tsp vanilla paste
1/4C RumChata

1.  Mix cream, RumChata and vanilla paste in saucepan.  Heat the mixture until hot but not yet boiling.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar.

3.  Slowly whisk warm cream mixture into the egg mixture.  This is called tempering.  If you mix too fast the eggs will curdle and we don't want that. Slow and steady.

4.  Place the ramekins in a shallow roasting pan. 

5.  Strain the mixture and evenly distribute it between the six ramekins.

6.  Add hot water in roasting pan being careful not to splash into the custard.  Fill the pan with enough water so that the water level reaches about half way up the ramekins.

7.  Bake at 300 for about 35-45 minutes.  The custard is ready when it jiggles like jello in the center.

8.  Let the custard cool for a few hours.  I prefer to serve my crème brulee at room temperature.

8.  Right before serving sprinkle extra sugar on top evenly, dusting off excess, and using a kitchen torch caramelize the sugar.  It should be nice brown and bubbly.  When cooled it will harden up to produce a nice crackle when you dig into it! 

Enjoy!