Creme Brulee

beechee51, Mar 29, 9:09am
I made this for dessert the other night and as i don't have a blow torch I just sprinkled brown sugar on top and grilled this but the top was not near as niceas whatyou get when eating out. Any ideas? Thanks

rosathemad, Mar 29, 9:28am
I've never had success getting a nicely bruled topping with a grill - the other way you can try is melting the sugar in a saucepan, then when amber pour it carefully onto the custard. It's not quite the same but does at least get a good layer of crackable sugar. Blowtorches are great fun, though - I highly recommend them. ;-)

books4nz, Mar 29, 12:36pm
Could one of the little gas fire-lighter's be used - that are sold at mitre10, etc?????

beechee51, Apr 7, 3:48am
I have been looking at blow torches, it seems that you have to get the gas refilled or there is a type that comes with a little canister of gas. Any ideas on something not too expensive?

kiwibubbles, Apr 7, 8:46pm
i bought a blow torch two years ago for this purpose.. still haven't found the gas I need LOL

rosathemad, Apr 8, 6:47am
I got my gas - butane, like for some barbeques - from Countdown.

books4nz, a lighter wouldn't produce enough heat. :-)

n00dle, Apr 8, 7:12am
I have had one success and one failure with the oven.It doesn't seem to work if the brulee isn't high enough in the ramekin, ie, it needs to be as close to the top of the ramekin as possible.Sprinkle evenly with approx 6 grams of caster sugar per ramekin, grill at high heat, keep an eye on them.Hope this helps in the absence of a butane torch.

beechee51, Jul 27, 6:07pm
Thanks noodle, yes the ramekins that I used were too big and so the mixture was only half way up,that may well have been the problem. I have just purchased a much smaller size and will try again.