Another holiday twist on an old favorite! My concoction for Peppermint month takes classic creme brulee and jazzes it up with hints of chocolate and peppermint to make a decadent holiday dessert. This treat is perfect for entertaining because you can even prepare it a few hours ahead of time!
INGREDIENTS ALSO
4 egg yolks 4 small bowls or mugs
4 tbsp. sugar 1-2 baking dishes
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 medium mixing bowl
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract 1 saucepan
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 1 double broiler
2 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. peppermint candies or candy canes, crushed
~makes 4 servings
Begin by preheating oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, cream together egg yolks and sugar until creamy.
Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over a low heat, never quite allowing it to boil. While the cream is cooking, add the vanilla and peppermint extracts. Melt in the chocolate slowly by chopping into chunks and adding them gradually. When the cream is about to reach a boil, remove it from the heat and slowly add it to the egg mixture. Be sure to add it very slowly so that the hot cream does not cook the eggs. Mix and combine well.
Pour entire cream mixture into the top of a double broiler. If you don't have a double broiler, you can also make one using a large pot and a pan that can rest on top of it. Stir over the boiling water until mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon. Remove mixture from heat and pour into 4 small bowls sitting in your baking dishes. Add boiling water to the baking dishes to make a water bath that the bowls will sit in as they bake. Fill the baking dish so that the small bowls are about halfway submerged in water.
Everyone's oven and baking dishes are different, so the time to bake these will vary. I baked mine for about an hour, but be sure to keep a close eye on yours after about 30 minutes. You will know they are done baking when the cream mixture has cooked to a thick, firm custard. When they are done baking, remove the bowls from the oven and their water bath and refrigerate them until you are almost ready to serve. This can be a few hours or even over night.
When you are getting them ready to serve, preheat your oven on its broiler setting. Crush up candy canes or peppermint candies to make a sort of peppermint dust. Pour the dust over the top of the baked cream dishes to make a top layer of peppermint. Put this in the broiler and allow it to melt the candy for about 5 minutes to make a peppermint shell on top. Remove from the oven and allow the cream to resettle for a few minutes, then enjoy! The best way to go about eating this delicious treat is to crack the shell with your spoon, and get a little peppermint shell and a little chocolate cream in every bite! Happy Holidays and Happy December everyone!
-H.
This was DELICIOUS
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