Ruby or white chocolate crème brulée

This crème brulée recipe is creamy and rich, but is not cloyingly sweet – the addition of ruby or white chocolate is subtly sweet. Ruby chocolate comes from a unique species of cocoa bean, giving it a naturally pink hue as well as a soft, berry fruit flavour. It is often interchangeable with white chocolate in recipes.

Credit: Anna's Occasions

• makes

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 60 g (2 oz) ruby or white baking (or couverture) chocolate, chopped
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tsp granulated sugar, plus extra for brulée
• 3 tsp finely crushed freeze-dried raspberries (optional)
• Boiling water, for baking

Cooling and chilling time: at least 3 hours.

You will need a kitchen blow torth to caramelise the tops.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).  Arrange 4 crème brulée dishes in a roasting pan or other dish with a lip.

2. Bring the cream and vanilla up to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together then slowly pour the hot cream into the bowl while constantly whisking. Remove any bubbles that form on the top of the mixture by dabbing gently with the corner of a sheet of paper towel. Whisk in the crushed freeze-dried raspberries, if using. Ladle or pour the liquid into the brulée dishes. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that the water comes hallway up the sides of the dishes. 

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the custards no longer jiggle.  Carefully remove the dishes from their water bath onto a rack to cool to room temperature, and then chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

5. To serve, sprinkle a thin but even layer of sugar on the surface of each custard and use a kitchen torch to melt and brown the sugar. Continue this, adding a thin layer of sugar and torching until it has an even, golden brown shell of caramelised sugar. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.