Sous Vide Crème Brûlée in Mason Jars
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Crème brûlée is one of those desserts people think you can only get at a restaurant. Crack through that caramel top with a spoon and everybody at the table goes quiet. The secret is that it's mostly eggs, cream and sugar, and with a sous vide you hardly have to think about it. I make mine in little mason jars. Mix it, strain it, jar it, drop it in the water, then chill it. The torch at the end is the fun part.
Nick's tip: This is why I go sous vide for custard. The circulator holds the water at one exact temperature, so the custard can't overshoot and turn grainy or curdle the way it can in the oven. You don't fill a roasting pan with hot water, you don't carry a sloshing pan to the oven, and you don't even turn the oven on. Every jar comes out the same.
Pair it with: an Espresso Martini
In my bartending days this was the after-dinner drink everyone wanted, and it's perfect with crème brûlée. You get cold, bitter coffee against sweet caramel and vanilla. Here's my suggested pour:
2 oz vodka
1 oz freshly brewed espresso, cooled
1/2 oz coffee liqueur
1/4 oz simple syrup (optional, to taste)
Add everything to a shaker with ice. Shake hard, 10 to 15 seconds, to get that foamy head. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with three coffee beans.
Not a vodka person? This one also goes great with a sweet dessert wine or an Old Fashioned.
Tools for this recipe
Sous vide: I use an Anova sous vide. The Anova Precision Cooker 3.0 holds the water right at temp, so the custard comes out silky every time.
Torch: I finish these with a pastry hand torch like this one: the Iwatani PRO2 Culinary Butane Torch. It has an adjustable flame and a stand. Butane is sold separately.
4 oz mason jars: The Ball 4 oz Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars, 12-pack are what I use, the perfect single-serving size.
Fine mesh strainer (recommended): The OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer catches any bits for a smooth custard.
Cocktail shaker (recommended): The Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set is the bartender-standard tin set for the espresso martini.
Made it? Tag @cookingwithnick101.
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