40 4 40 #12 Creme Brûlée

This is a new post in a series of entries about my endeavor to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read about them under the label 40 4 40. 

I decided a new recipe, or really, a new dish would be a good thing to try on my road to #40. I posted to Facebook, of course, looking for ideas. Creme Brûlée was the suggestion that 1) I thought I could handle making 2) sounded like a fun challenge 3) involved buying new kitchen items and 4) I wouldn't mind eating. Except for all the animal product in it...

After searching the internet, I decided to go with Martha Stewart's recipe. They're all pretty much alike - egg yolks, cream, sugar, vanilla. I can't remember why hers won. I've made stuff from her recipes before with success, I guess.

Then I started thinking about how much my body doesn't like dairy. It makes my skin even drier than on a normal day. Winter is even worse. I just couldn't bring myself to put that much dairy in my body. I had been planning to make these over Thanksgiving, and therefore, likely would've eaten all of them myself.

So I compromised with a dairy-free alternative. I have been eating eggs so I wasn't worried about that part. It uses coconut milk instead of cream but the rest is basically the same. I got it here. I don't particularly like coconut milk because I don't like coconut, and so far almost every time I have used it, the end result still had a hint of coconut. Perhaps it has been my imagination.

I decided to make it today because I felt the need to do something and it seemed like a better idea than cleaning house. And my hope is to share with coworkers tomorrow so I don't end up eating all of it myself. Honestly, I'm not even sure I like creme brûlée!!

Some process shots... cuz all the food bloggers do it :)

Prepared

Five Egg Yolks

Whisked egg yolks and sugar

Coconut milk and vanilla bean innerds

I attempted to strain the coconut milk and vanilla but the chunks of vanilla went right through!

ready for the oven in their water bath! I didn't have a non-glass baking dish big enough for all 4 ramekins.

Out of the oven. Cooling time!

All torched up!!

Well, I've now eaten my very own homemade creme brûlée. I am not impressed with myself! I'm going to blame the coconut milk :) I also am not sure what led to its soupy-ness. Coulda been the coconut milk (too much?), doing something wrong in the preparation, not cooking long enough, or not cooling long enough. I'm letting the other three chill longer before I torch them. I tried both the  refined and the raw sugars on mine so it was a little sugar heavy on top! I liked the reaction of the raw stuff better. I tried both cuz I swear I read someone say that the less coarse the better.  

It tasted okay. A little coconutty but probably only cuz I expected it. I won't tell that part to the coworkers until after they taste it. I imagine that I would really like a well made, full dairy version. I might even try it eventually. Maybe Christmas break!! Oh, and the torch part was quite fun :)

I'm quite excited for Thanksgiving as I get to try at least three more new things!!