When I was 11 I made creme brûlée for the first time. It was my absolute favorite dessert and I wanted to prepare it exactly as they did in restaurants. Caramelized sugar and all. As the custard baked, the entire house filled with its sweet aroma. I proudly served the beautiful creme brûlée to each family member. Then they took their first bite. Silence fell over the room. Yuck! My heart sank. I had switched the salt and sugar proportions. Oops!
My family will never let me live this down. It has become one of our many inside jokes and is now impossible to enjoy creme brûlée without that memory. So here I am, 18 years later, still trying to redeem myself.
Makes 3 servings.
Custard:
3 eggs
pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
cheesecloth
Fresh Plum Sauce:
3 fresh plums, skins removed
dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
►Preheat the oven to 350°F.
►In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the salt. Mix the warm water and honey together in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved.
►The next part is important! You’ll want to incorporate the eggs and the honey water slowly, or you’ll end up with lumpy eggs. Gross. So add a tablespoon of honey water to the eggs and quickly beat together. Continue this process twice more and then add all of the honey water to the eggs.
►Arrange three ramekins on a baking sheet. Coat each with melted coconut oil. Strain the egg mix through cheesecloth then evenly divide between the dishes. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the custard is just solidified. Check this with a toothpick.
►For the plum sauce, peel and remove the plum skins. Blend plums, cinnamon and vanilla in a food processor for two minutes until liquified.
►Once the custard has cooled, top with fresh plum sauce and serve.