# Help rescue my creme brulee



## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

I put it in the fridge before it could set properly, under the assumption it would harden in the fridge. It's still not set and is more gooey then anything. Any advice?


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

I've taken it out of the fridge and back in the oven...hope its not too late


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

The caramel will only harden at room temp. Put it in the oven or in the fridge and it will melt. Just get it out, torch the caramel again, wait a few mn for it harden and serve.


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

Well what happened was I put the custard in the ramkin, put it in the oven on 300 for 40min...and for some reason I didnt notice it didnt set til 2 hours after I put it in the fridge. I popped it back in the oven at 400 for a a bit and its looking better.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

I just realized you were talking about the creme itself, whereas I thought you were talking about the caramel on top - my mistake. Good to hear it's looking better now! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

Figures that when I'm cooking for my parents I can't get it to set right but when its just for my fiance I'm like Iron Chef and can whip anything up. Seeing as how I reheated it, and I dont want to make an ice bath im letting it stay in the fridge over night. Hopefully tomorrow all I got to do is freeze, then broil (I dont have a torch).


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

There are a number of mistakes you could have made. The big two are that you curdled the creme (too much heat), or that you, in some other way, messed up in adding the egg yolks. Not enough heat, for instance.

It happens.

Should it happen again, assuming you don't have a bunch of scrambled eggs in the creme, get yourself a piece of cake, a cookie, some fruit or whatnot ("whatnot" is a technical term), add a little vanilla to the creme, strain it through a fine sieve and pour it on the cake. Voila! Call it _creme anglaise_. Alternatively, again make with the sieve and vanilla, run the "base" through an ice cream maker and call it French vanilla.

BDL


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

Heres the recipe I used, maybe its a flaw in it?
[h3]*Ingredients*[/h3]
3 cups heavy cream 
1 cup whole milk 
1 cup dark brown sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped 
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
9 large egg yolks 
1/3 cup granulated sugar 
Caramel Corn (optional) 
[h3]*Directions*[/h3]
Preheat the oven to 300°. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, brown sugar and salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar melts and small bubbles appear around the rim. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture, then strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Set eight 1/2-cup ramekins in a roasting pan. Pour the custard into the ramekins and add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crème brûlées are set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Uncover and let cool in the pan. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 5 hours.

Set the ramekins in the freezer for 20 minutes, until icy cold. Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. Place 4 of the ramekins in a baking pan and fill it with ice. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar evenly over each crème brûlée and broil for about 1 minute, until the tops are caramelized. Remove the crème brûlées from the ice water and refrigerate just until chilled, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining crème brûlées. Alternatively, caramelize the sugar with a propane or brûlée torch.


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## titomike (May 20, 2009)

Or for that matter a little flour, cook it out and voila...you have creme patisserie

A quick service method is to use a pre-made caramel that has then been blitzed to powder...then its just a quick melt to get a result...

This stuff needs to be stored airtight or you'll end up having to blitz it again...

I assume your judging a brulee is done by only a slight wobble in the centre? This is more important than time/temp, waterbath or not.


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

I assumed it wasnt done when the whole thing was soupy. I got it to the point now where the center wabbles



Titomike said:


> Or for that matter a little flour, cook it out and voila...you have creme patisserie
> 
> A quick service method is to use a pre-made caramel that has then been blitzed to powder...then its just a quick melt to get a result...
> 
> ...


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## titomike (May 20, 2009)

This is a modified recipe...seems doable.

As FF pointed out your caramel will set at room temp & will go sticky in a fridge if not in 15 not long after...too much moisture in the air, this why runouts and sugar garnish is best stored in the freezer...

Gotta go to work...Good Luck!


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## zane (Apr 6, 2010)

It all worked out, it set well in the fridge over night. Sprinkled sugar on it and put it in the broiler for 3 minutes then put it back in the fridge for 15. 3 days later (only 2 left by today) still tasting wonder-full. Thanks for all the help.


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## coulis-o (Jan 23, 2010)

i made some English Creams at work recently and was worried that they weren't cooked properly after taking them out the fridge to try a couple of hours later they still weren't set properly, but they was fine the next day just hadn't left enough time for them to cool and set properly.


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