In the Kitchen: Creme Brulee

Nicole LaFratta, Outlets Manager, and M&M Bistro Executive Chef, Christopher Steele, were in the kitchen demonstrating just how easy it is to make your own Creme Brulee.

Located at the Hilton Hartford on Trumbull Street, M&M Bistro offers a combination of classic favorites and fresh innovative dishes in a modern setting.  They are also participating in the Taste of Hartford which takes place from January 21 ^st through February 4 ^th, offering a three-course dinner for $20.13.  And if you love your wine with dinner, they are hosting a ‘Wine Dinner’ on February 13 ^th, which features 5 courses, including a blood-orange sorbet intermezzo.

For all the details on these or any of their other events, visit their website at www.mandmbistro.com .

Crème Brulee MM Bistro 2013

Ingredients:

2.5 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tahitian Vanilla Bean

1/3 cup Granulated Sugar

6 Large Egg Yolks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Split and scrape out guts from Vanilla bean, place in a heavy bottom pan along with the heavy cream and put on medium high heat.

Whisk together in a separate bowl egg yolks and the granulated sugar until light in color and frothy.

When you see steam coming from around the edge of the cream remove from heat, while whisking; ladle the hot cream slowly into the sugar and egg yolk mixture. This is done to prevent the eggs from cooking too fast and lumping up.

Once all the cream is whisked in and dissolved, pour into oven safe ceramic ramekins and place into baking pan bottom lined with a small dish towel. Pour water into pan so that the water level comes up to about half of the ramekins cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from pan being careful not let water slip into the crème brulee

Chill at least 2 hours or overnight is preferred.

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar on top and spread evenly, using a torch start far away from the surface once the sugar begins to melt move in closer until the sugar is a light to dark brown caramel color, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaf.