Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce →

Nothing like store-bought caramel sauce, this sauce is decadently rich and faintly boozy. Keep it on hand in the fridge to serve over ice cream, apple pie, or your favorite baked dessert. Enjoy!

BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE
Makes about 1 ½ - 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup granulated (white) sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature* (Add an extra ¼ cup for a lighter sauce.)

• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature*

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup bourbon

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir to combine.

2. Turn the burner on to medium-high heat. Do not stir or touch the pan until the sugar has caramelized.  As you watch carefully, the sugar mixture will go from being completely clear to a champagne color to a light golden color, and then to increasingly darker shades of amber.  Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color (think the color of a copper penny), remove the saucepan from the heat and turn off the burner.

3. Immediately begin to pour the warm heavy cream slowly and carefully into the sugar mixture, whisking vigorously as you pour to incorporate the cream.  (The mixture will bubble furiously when the cream hits the hot sugar, so be careful!)  Add in the warm butter and whisk until combined and emulsified. Add the vanilla, bourbon, and sea salt, and continue to whisk vigorously until you have a smooth sauce.

4. Let the sauce cool until it reaches room temperature (it will thicken as it cools), then transfer the sauce to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave for a few seconds or in a saucepan stirring over medium low heat for a few minutes.

Serve spooned over ice cream or your favorite baked dessert.

 *Feel free to heat the cream and butter up a bit in the microwave for a few seconds if you are in a hurry.  Both ingredients must be at room temperature (or warmer).  If cold, they will cause the caramelized sugars to seize and clump.

 Adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/bourbon-caramel-sauce/

The Perfect Flan →

This recipe appeared in a 1992 Collectors Edition of Bon Appetit focusing on Spain. There is no better flan! The only adjustment I made to the original recipe is the addition of some lemon zest to give the custard a slight lemon note. I still can’t decide which I prefer, Crème Brûlée or Flan...life should be full of such choices! Which do you prefer?

The Perfect Flan
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups whipping cream

• 1 cup whole milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

• Pinch of salt

• ½ vanilla bean split lengthwise (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)

• 2-3 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (optional)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup water

• 3 large eggs

• 2 large yolks

• 7 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

1. Combine cream, milk, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the vanilla: scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream mixture and add the bean; alternatively, add the vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water in another heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring for about 10 minutes brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan occasionally until the boiling syrup just begins to turn a deep amber. Be careful not to overcook or the caramel will taste burnt. Quickly pour the caramel into six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups covering the bottom of each ramekin. Set the ramekins into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with an inch of hot water in the bottom. (This will help keep the caramel from setting up too quickly.)

3. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and 7 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl just until blended. Gradually and gently whisk the cream mixture into the egg mixture without creating lots of foam. Pour the custard through a small mesh sieve into a 4 cup measuring cup and then pour, dividing evenly, into the ramekins. Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

4. Bake until the centers of the flans are gently set, about 30 minutes. Check the flans after 30 minutes and shake the baking pan. The flans are done when the center of the flan barely moves when you shake the baking pan. Transfer the flans to a rack and cool. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Cover with tin foil or plastic wrap and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

5. To serve, run a small sharp knife around the flan to loosen. Turn over onto a small plate. Shake gently and tap the bottom to release the flan. Carefully lift off the ramekin allowing the caramel syrup to run over the flan. Repeat with the remaining flans and serve.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-perfect-flan-1902

Lemon Crème Brûlée →

It has been said, and I agree, the act of cracking the golden brown crust to reach the smooth creamy custard of a crème brûlée is close to an ecstatic culinary experience. I prefer adding a hint of lemon as a high-note to balance the sweetness of the custard and crunchy caramelized sugar crust. Surprisingly easy to make, once you master a couple of simple techniques you can easily serve this classic dessert to impress your family and friends at home. The recipe is adapted from Epicurious and is the best crème brûlée I have tasted. It is a must try for anyone who enjoys rich, creamy, crunchy desserts.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream

• about 5 tablespoons turbinado sugar such as Sugar in the Raw

• 3 large egg yolks

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest into cream in a heavy saucepan.

3. Stir in 3 ½ tablespoons turbinado sugar and a pinch of salt. Heat mixture over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until you see faint wisps of steam when you stir the mixture (almost-but-not-boiling) and the sugar is completely melted into the cream. Do not let the cream boil!

4. Lightly beat the yolks in a bowl, then, whisking constantly incorporate the yokes into the hot cream. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a quart-size glass measure and stir in vanilla and ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Divide among oven-safe ramekins.

5. Arrange the ramekins in a roasting pan with enough warm water to go halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake in the warm water bath until the custards are just set around edge but the centers wobble when the pan is gently shaken, 30 to 35 minutes.

6. Cool the custards in a cold water bath 20 minutes, then remove from the pan and chill uncovered for at least 4 hours. (Custards will set completely as they chill.)

7. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar evenly over each custard, then using a chefs blowtorch move a flame evenly back and forth close to the sugar until it is caramelized. If you don’t have a chefs blowtorch, place the ramekins on a sheet pan under the broiler monitoring closely until the sugar is melted and begins to caramelize and turn golden brown. (See *Note)

8. Let stand until caramel is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.

*Note: as a time saver, you can put the ramekins under the broiler until the sugar begins to melt (about 2-3 minutes depending on how hot the broiler is) and then touch up the finished crust on each one to a golden brown with the chefs torch.

**Note: extra custards can be kept in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for a few days. When you’re ready to add the caramelized sugar crust, dab the surfaces of the custards gently with a paper towel to remove any moisture before sprinkling a teaspoon of sugar evenly over the top and melting it under the broiler or with your chefs torch.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lemon-creme-brulee