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Champagne Blood Orange Crème Brûlée

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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!Several small white ramekins of Blood Orange Champagne Creme BruleeThis isn’t chocolate. And it’s a Valentine’s Day dessert. Who am I!?

I’m the one who’s 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. 

bowl of blood orange segments for Blood Orange-Champagne Crème Brûlée

Inspiration

When I was asked to bring a 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. several white ramekins of Blood Orange Champagne Creme Brulee on a dark wood surfaceIt developed into creme brûlée because, well, I had to add the creamy and rich elements.

What’s in Champagne Blood Orange Crème Brûlée?

  • champagne and blood oranges, of course 😉 
  • heavy cream
  • vanilla beans
  • egg yolks
  • sugar

blood orange center cut slices for Blood Orange-Champagne Crème Brûlée

How to Make it

-Marinate blood orange segments in champagne and a little sugar.

-Add cream, blood orange zest and vanilla beans and pod to a medium-sized pot and place it on the stove.

-Whisk egg yolks with sugar until it’s thick and a lighter yellow.
 
-Scald the cream and then add some of it to the egg mixture and whisk immediately. Repeat this one more time, and then add this to the remaining cream in the pot. Whisking constantly, cook until the mixture is thick.
 
-With a slotted spoon, evenly dive the marinated blood oranges among six ramekins.
a few blood orange segments in a white bowl
-Then add the leftover juice and champagne to the custard.
 
-Pour some of the custard into each ramekin and then press one thin slice of blood orange on top of each one.
 
-Refrigerate overnight.
 
-Brûlée!

blood orange peelsI always try to pause to appreciate the beauty of the ingredients.

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!

More recipes for Valentine’s Day:

5 from 9 votes
Champagne Creme Brulee with blood orange slice on top
Print
Blood Orange-Champagne Crème Brûlée
Prep Time
4 hrs 20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 35 mins
 
From the vibrant red citrus, to the bubbly in the rich and creamy custard, this is a dessert to remember!

*Please note that 4 hours of the prep time is inactive, when the dessert is being refrigerated.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: great for Valentine's Day, gluten-free desserts
Servings: 6
Calories: 476 kcal
Author: Valentina K. Wein
Ingredients
  • 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
Instructions
  1. Place 6 (6-ounce) ramekins on a baking sheet and set aside.
  2. 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.)
  3. Add the cream and blood orange zest to a medium-sized pot and place it on the stove.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Use a slotted spoon to add about one sixth of the champagne-marinated blood orange segments to each ramekin.

  9. Now add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the excess blood orange-champagne juice that's left in the bowl, to the custard and mix.

  10. 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.

  11. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle each one evenly with 1 tablespoon of the super fine sugar. (A sugar shaker is perfect for this.) Then use a small kitchen blow torch to brown the sugar to create a crust. 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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Comments

  2. Lizthechef says

    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…

    Reply

  4. Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says

    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.

    Reply

  6. Christina says

    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!

    Reply

  9. Laura | Wandercooks says

    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

    Reply

  10. Renee says

    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!

    Reply

    • valentina says

      The custard is already cooked on the stove — it then goes int he refrigerator to set up and become firm. 🙂

      Reply

  16. Roshani Khanna says

    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!

    Reply

  18. David @ Spiced says

    Champagne soaked blood oranges!? Now you’ve got my attention! I love a good blood orange, and we’ve been known to drink a bottle or two of champagne on occasion. This dessert sounds amazing…and perfect for Valentine’s Day, too!

    Reply

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