Mexican Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Every rich, chocolatey bite of this crème brûlée is subtly spiced with cinnamon, and the creamy texture is over the top!
Servings: 6
Calories: 527kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 6 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the cream, half and half, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon to a medium-sized saucepan. Use a whisk to blend in the cinnamon. Then place the pan over medium heat and cook just until it's beginning to simmer.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, and mix until it's melted and smooth.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with ⅓ cup of the sugar and the salt. Whisk until it's smooth, at least 30 seconds.
- As gradually as possible, whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Once it's smooth, strain it into another bowl, and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to skim any foam from the surface.
- Divide the custard mixture among six 1-cup round ramekins (ideally 4 X 1-inch). Place the filled ramekins in a large enough baking pan to hold all of them comfortably. Carefully pour water into the pan, around the ramekins about about ⅓ to ½ of the way up the sides.
- Place the pan in the preheated 325° F oven until the custards are set but centers still move slightly when gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the pan and place them on a dry pan or the counter. Let them sit until they come to room temperature, about an hour. Then cover them with foil or plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- Mix the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar with the remaining ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle about ½ tablespoon of this mixture on the surface of each custard. (I like using a sugar/or salt shaker for this, but you can also evenly sprinkle with your fingers.)
- Use a kitchen torch to brown the sugar to create a crust. (You can also place them under the broiler, fairly close to the flame, just until they brown, 1 minute or less.) Serve!
Notes
You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time, through the cooking of the custard. Then brûlée them just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 527kcal