Champagne-Blood Orange Crème Brûlée screams Valentine’s Day. From the vibrant red citrus, to the bubbly in the rich and creamy custard, this is a dessert to remember!
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This isn’t chocolate. And it’s a Valentine’s Day dessert. Who am I!?
I’m the girl who is only okay with a non-chocolate dessert (for Valentine’s Day, or otherwise), when it’s super creamy, rich and delicately flavored with seasonal fruit. Specific enough?
When I was asked to bring a chocolate dessert, or a bottle of bubbly to my monthly LA food blogger meeting, I decided I wanted to bring the bubbly in a dessert.
And the inspiration for this recipe came from my recent desire to marinate blood orange segments in champagne. I just knew it would be beautiful and delicious.
I love the way this Champagne-Blood Orange Crème Brûlée recipe evolved! 
It developed into creme brûlée because, well, I had to add the creamy and rich elements.
So from there, Champagne-Blood Orange Crème Brûlée was born.
Oh, and I also brought something with chocolate (how could I not!?). So my fabulously decadent Mocha Truffle Bars Recipe made their way to the party too.
Check out the links below to see what the other FBLA members brought to the meeting.
Desserts
- Chocolate Petit Fours – Christina Conte of Christina’s Cucina
- Chocolate Brownie Quick Bread – Dorothy Reinhold of Shockingly Delicious
- Fair-Trade Chocolate Earthquake Cookies — Alison Ashton at Nourish Network
- Pain au Chocolat and Cro-Nut Hearts – Jude at Two Broads Abroad
- Brownie Buttons — Judy Weintraub of Bumbleberry Breeze
Savory Dishes (Some people like a little something savory before their dessert — I’m happy either way.)
- Game Day Chili – Erika Kerekes of In Erika’s Kitchen
- Tamales with Chocolate Mole Sauce – Patricia Rose of Fresh Food in a Flash
- Chinese New Year Slaw — Nancy Eisman of Adventures with Nancy Rose
And whether you make the Champagne-Blood Orange Crème Brûlée for Valentine’s Day or not, I hope you love it as much as I do!
*Please note that 4 hours of the prep time is inactive, when the dessert is being refrigerated.
- 2 tablespoons champagne
- 1/2 cup blood orange segments
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon blood orange zest (from about 4 small oranges)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 8 large egg yolks
- 6 thin, horizontal slices peeled blood orange
- 5 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- about 6 tablespoons super fine granulated sugar
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Place 6 (6-ounce) ramekins on a baking sheet and set aside.
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Place the the blood orange segments in a bowl and add the champagne and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Set aside. (Here's how to segment the orange.)
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Add the cream and blood orange zest to a medium-sized pot and place it on the stove.
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Use a paring knife to make a slit in the vanilla bean, lengthwise, and then use the back of the knife to spread each half open, and scrape all of the beans into the cream. Add the emptied pod to the cream as well.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk until it's thick and a lighter yellow, about 5 minutes.
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Now turn the heat to medium-high under the pot of cream and scald it -- it should not quite be boiling, and should just have tiny bubbles along the edges.
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Turn the heat off and use a large ladle to add a cup or so of the hot cream to the egg mixture, and whisk it immediately. Repeat this one more time, and then add this to the remaining cream in the pot. Turn the heat to medium-low and whisking constantly, cook until the mixture is thick, about 6 minutes or so. It should coat the back of a spoon and stay there. (Should it look like the mixture is separating - becoming grainy -- quickly and carefully, pour it in a blender and blend. This should bring it back together.) Set aside.
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Use a slotted spoon to add about one sixth of the champagne-marinated blood orange segments to each ramekin.
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Now add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the excess blood orange-champagne juice that's left in the bowl, to the custard and mix.
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Pour equal amounts of the custard over the blood orange segments in each ramekin. Then very gently press one of the thin blood orange slices on top of each one. Then place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and ideally overnight.
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When you're ready to serve, sprinkle each one evenly with 1 tablespoon of the super fine sugar and then use a small kitchen blow torch to brown the sugar to create a crust. (A sugar shaker is perfect for this.) If you don't have the kitchen torch, you can also place them under the broiler, fairly close to the flame, just until they brown, 1 minute or less.
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These were not only a sight to behold but absolutely delicious. Genius.
Thank you so much, Judy!. 🙂
Fantastic – I am the anti-chocolate girl (usually) so this is printing for our next dinner party dessert. I bet this would work with Meyer lemon but wouldn’t be half as pretty. Pinning like crazy…
Thanks so much, Liz! Yes, delicious with Meyer lemons! 🙂
So elegant. So delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU, Patricia! 🙂
I’m a big fan of non-chocolate Valentine’s dessert, and this has GOT to be one of the most beautiful creme brulees I’ve ever seen! I haven’t been able to get enough of blood oranges this year, either. OBSESSED.
Thanks so much, Lori. I can’t get enough of any citrus. Best fruit season ever!
Stunning! Scrumptious! Satisfying! What a great dessert.
What great “S” words! Thank you! 🙂
I was lucky enough to nab one of these babies at the FBLA meeting and absolutely adored it! This is a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert, no matter who you’re serving it to! Love your pics, too!
Thanks so much, Christina! xo
More and more as I get older, citrus desserts appeal to me much more than chocolate. Go figure. This one rocks!
I can’t get enough citrus (or chocolate)!
I just saw this in the FBHEO facebook group, and I had to click over! Wow, so beautiful! Pinned!
Thanks for clicking over! And for pinning. Very much appreciated!
If only blood oranges came in love heart shapes… Just kidding! These look incredible, and anything drenched in champagne has gotta be good. Now you’ve given me the perfect excuse to go out and get that kitchen torch I’ve been wanting for ages. Thank you! <3
Oh yes, you must have a torch! 🙂 Enjoy!
Creme Brulee is the dessert that will make me order dessert when I don’t need dessert. No chocolate necessary, unless it’s a chocolate creme brulee. Beautiful dessert!
Thanks so much, Renee. There are only certain desserts worth ordering, I agree. 🙂
I love creme brulee and blood oranges, but have never thought of putting the two together! Thanks for sharing!!
And thank you for checking out my recipe!
Wow! What a beautiful, delicious, gourmet recipe. Thanks for sharing, I oove the champagne touch ?
Thanks so much, Claudia! 🙂
I need to go on a hunt for blood oranges this weekend!! These look delicious and I especially love how you incorporate champagne with the blood oranges!
Thank you! You should see them in most markets this time of year. Enjoy & Happy Valentine’s Day!
This looks like a fabulous dessert. Creme Brulee is my all-time favorite and the addition of blood orange sounds divine!
Thanks so much Jillian! Hope you try it & Happy Valentine’s Day!
After pouring the mixture into the ramekins why do you place them in the fridge instead of the oven?
The custard is already cooked on the stove — it then goes int he refrigerator to set up and become firm. 🙂
Mmmmmm…..yum. This looks totally amazing. I’m just starring at the screen looking at how delicious they look. Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂 will definitely give this a try!
Hi Roshani, Thanks so much! Hope you try it and love it! 🙂