Snowy Weather, Close Friends, and Creme Brulee

This morning, I woke up to beautiful snow, dusting the yards and sidewalks of Asheville. With blustery weather outside, my food guru and I snuggled up on the couch and caught up on each other's lives. When friends move away, it always makes me realize the space in my life they used to fill on a daily basis. Bridgey was my running buddy, fellow dog lover, and best friend in Raleigh. It was so refreshing to laugh with her again today and see her in bliss with her lovely fiance.

When I got home from the journey to the mountains, I made creme brulee.

Dr. Joe's Creme Brulee with Grand Marnier
For Custard:
1 qt. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 piece of candied orange peel
3/4 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, plus a little more for finishing

For the top:
1/2 to 3/4 cup light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and put the rack on the middle level. Boil a kettle of water.

Heat the heavy cream to just below the boiling point. Add vanilla bean and the orange peel; cover and keep warm. Stir the sugar, egg yolks, and orange liqueur together just until blended - stir, do not beat and cause bubbles. Gradually stir in the hot cream and mix well to dissolve the sugar - again, stir rather than beat. Ladle the custard through a fine-meshed sieve into oven proof oval molds or ramekins of about 1/2-cup capacity or greater.

Arrange the molds in a baking pan large enough to hold them all comfortably. Slide out the oven rack, and set the pan on it. Very carefully, pour enough boiling water around the molds to come halfway up the sides of them.

Bake about 2 hours, or until the custards are set. Test by poking the tip of the paring knife about 1 inch from the side of the mold into the custard. The knife should come out clean, but the custard should still tremble slightly. Remove the molds from the water bath and chill on a tray in the refrigerator. Will keep, covered, for several days. To re-warm, set back in a hot water bath in a 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Shortly before serving, sieve about 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar over the top of each custard, lightly tamp down, and carefully glaze tops with a propane torch held 2 inches from the custards, moving in circular motion.


Pour a Tbsp. of the orange liqueur over the hot glaze. Averting your face, light with a match and serve.