# Why is my creme brulee very runny and loose? What can I do?



## wwebb37

I made a creme brulee and it is very runny and loose. I made it in a large ramekin, and my oven is set at 300 F and there are also bubbles at the top. Ive been cooking it for over 50 min now, but the recipe told me to cook for 30 min.


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## siduri

We can't help much without a recipe.  Have you ever made it from this recipe before?  what size ramekin do they call for?  if it;s a bigger one you used, that would account for it not cooking, because it takes time for the heat to get to the center.  But the recipe itself might not be good, many recipes are posted around internet and they;re just made up or they're not tested or the measures are wrong - typos or just estimated by eye.


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## kuan

Because you didn't use hot water in the water bath?


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## chefbuba

Are there enough eggs in your recipe?


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## ouroboros

they need to be allowed to cool completely before they are properly set... also quickly and decisively use a blow torch to "burn off" the bubbles before you pop them in the oven....


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## margcata

Good Morning,

A possibility why your Crème Brulee is too wet is that you have added too much milk or used a diet formatted milk like low fat, or used too many eggs, or used the whites as only yolks are used. Other possibilities are the temperature of cooling or did not use sieve twice.

This recipe has been in existence since 1520 and here is the traditional recipe for  Créme Brulee ( Burnt Cream ) :

4 cups whole regular milk

2 five cm. cinammon sticks

2 five inch strips lemon zest

1 1/4 cups or 8 ounces of sugar

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup corn starch

A salamandre = a metal disk that acts as an branding iron or Metal Spatula

Clay ovenware earthenware dishes

Recipe:

1) dissolve the corn starch in 8 fl. oz. of milk.

2) heat the rest of the milk in deep sauce pan with the 2 cinammon sticks & the zest and do not boil.

3) blend the 6 egg yolks with 8 ounces of sugar

4) strain the simmered heated milk through a fine sieve and pour over egg mixture

5) add the dissolved corn starch mixutre and blend well and heat gently stirring in one direction

6) do not allow to boil

7) when the mixture thickens, remove from heat and strain through sieve again

8) let it cool completely

9) when cool, heat up the salamandre or metal spatula

10) sprinkle the sugar over the custard and caramelize with the metal salamandre or spatula to form a thin caramel layer

*** For final ramekin ( souffle dishes ) placing and caramelizing; please send me a note.

Have a nice wkend.

Margaux Cintrano.

( Margcata ).


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## chefedb

Possibly add 1 or 2 more yolks only to your mix, and are you useing a pan of water in oven to put the individual dishes in. This helps set the custard.


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## siduri

Without Wwebbs recipe, there is not much we can do but speculate.  We don't even know if he (she) made the recipe before and it worked, or if it's a new recipe.  There are so many recipes online that are just off the top of someone's head... and they don't work.


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## cookers

Just a tip. Never use a whisk when making creme's. You don't want to create air bubbles. Use a spatula instead.


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## kuan

Margcata we're talking Creme Brulee right?  Creme Brulee is made with cream, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla.  It is cooked in the oven, in ramekins placed in a bain marie.


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## petemccracken

Margcata,

Did I read correctly, "boiled milk"?

I've always used a recipe along the lines of what Kuan posted.


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## french fries

PeteMcCracken said:


> Did I read correctly, "boiled milk"?


... and half a cup corn starch? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif


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## petemccracken

Never should have looked again!

2 five *inch* strips lemon zest ???



French Fries said:


> ... and half a cup corn starch? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif


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## boar_d_laze

WWebb,

Please post your recipe.  We can't say what you've done wrong until we know what you've done.

One possibility:  Cremes won't hold if they get wet.  Splashing water into the ramekins from the bain marie when filling it or carrying the whole shebang to the oven are common errors.  In an abundance of caution I don't fill the bain marie until it's already on the oven shelf. 

Also, as already said, cremes should be set (by chilling in the fridge), before making the brulee.

BDL


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## titomike

Pete has pointed out the importance of ratios before & referred to a great book... for brulees I use 1 yolk to 100mls *cream*...fills a 125ml ramekin.

A French pastry Chef I have great respect for has had me ditch the bain marie in favour of a cool oven 50-80 C .....works fine. Your looking for the jelly wobble in the centre ...the rest is in the chilling.

Not a fan of the stove top method (Anglais styles) some people use as I reckon it gives a grainier, less silky texture possibly from not catching the excess whites along for the ride?


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## chefross

margcata said:


> Good Morning,
> 
> A possibility why your Crème Brulee is too wet is that you have added too much milk or used a diet formatted milk like low fat, or used too many eggs, or used the whites as only yolks are used. Other possibilities are the temperature of cooling or did not use sieve twice.
> 
> This recipe has been in existence since 1520 and here is the traditional recipe for Créme Brulee ( Burnt Cream ) :
> 
> 4 cups whole regular milk
> 
> 2 five cm. cinammon sticks
> 
> 2 five inch strips lemon zest
> 
> 1 1/4 cups or 8 ounces of sugar
> 
> 6 egg yolks
> 
> 1/2 cup corn starch
> 
> A salamandre = a metal disk that acts as an branding iron or Metal Spatula
> 
> Clay ovenware earthenware dishes
> 
> Recipe:
> 
> 1) dissolve the corn starch in 8 fl. oz. of milk.
> 
> 2) heat the rest of the milk in deep sauce pan with the 2 cinammon sticks & the zest and do not boil.
> 
> 3) blend the 6 egg yolks with 8 ounces of sugar
> 
> 4) strain the simmered heated milk through a fine sieve and pour over egg mixture
> 
> 5) add the dissolved corn starch mixutre and blend well and heat gently stirring in one direction
> 
> 6) do not allow to boil
> 
> 7) when the mixture thickens, remove from heat and strain through sieve again
> 
> 8) let it cool completely
> 
> 9) when cool, heat up the salamandre or metal spatula
> 
> 10) sprinkle the sugar over the custard and caramelize with the metal salamandre or spatula to form a thin caramel layer
> 
> *** For final ramekin ( souffle dishes ) placing and caramelizing; please send me a note.
> 
> Have a nice wkend.
> 
> Margaux Cintrano.
> 
> ( Margcata ).


This sounds more like Coer d La Creme......


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## petalsandcoco

For those that don't know why a bain marie is used ,its to insulate the custard from direct heat and to keep the eggs from cooking too fast, which may cause them to separate.

If you have a convection oven then a bain marie won't be needed because of even circulation of the air insulates the custard from direct heat.

The ingredients I use are simple and basic.: 4 cups heavy cream, 1 Large egg, 6 egg yolks, 1 vanilla bean, white sugar .

For  the top: Brown sugar which  has been spread on a sheet pan to dry out. (remove moisture)

1) scald the cream

2) when working with the eggs and sugar, mix them very quickly into the cream (you don't want them to cook)

3) use a sieve to pass the liquid to remove any particles.

4) make sure the ramekins are filled to top as they will lose volume as they bake

5) topping: use 2 Tablespoons of the brown sugar- making sure the custard is fully covered - not too thin or too thick

6)  I always let them to sit 12-24hr in the fridge to get the best texture and taste.

The nicest one I made was with Grand Marnier & orange zest

These are some of my thoughts.

Petals.

ps. ChefRoss, what a wonderful dessert , I believe coeur a la creme has cheese ....


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## kuan

French Fries said:


> ... and half a cup corn starch? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif


That must be a mistake. I don't believe cornstarch was around in 1520.


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## petalsandcoco

I agree, there must be an error.

Starch : Chemistry and Technology

http://books.google.ca/books?id=Anb...page&q=when was cornstarch discovered&f=false

(wow, thats one long link) the info is interesting just the same.

Petals.


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## french fries

petalsandcoco said:


> If you have a convection oven then a bain marie won't be needed because of even circulation of the air insulates the custard from direct heat.


Urghh.... does it work for you petals? I have tried using convection for creme brulee and I find my results are much, much better when I turn it OFF! So ever since I've always left it off when making creme brulee. I do put the ramekins in a pan of water.


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## petalsandcoco

I have done it several times but I have to say that using the bain marie is the surest bet. There is a chef here on Laurier in Montreal that showed the convect way. He would do 48 at a time in his oven and they always came out ok.

The pastry chef at the 40Westt in Pointe Claire  cook theirs the same way, but the secret to hers is the Grand Marnier.

I guess it all depends on what your comfortable with. I was taught to use the bain and still do.

I don't know about you but these desserts are always a big demand and I am always looking for new ideas.

Petals.


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## french fries

petalsandcoco said:


> I don't know about you but these desserts are always a big demand and I am always looking for new ideas.


My favorite way to make creme brulee is to use chestnut tree honey instead of sugar. You can even put a dollop of chestnut cream in the middle of your ramekin before you pour the cream. If you've never tried it before, Chestnut honey has a very, very strong and specific flavor unlike any other honeys. Some people don't like it (my dad can't stand it) but once in the creme brulee it mellows its taste somewhat to yield a more subtle chestnut flavor and aroma. Delicious. I'll find the recipe if you'd like - it's deceptively simple.


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## petalsandcoco

FF,

Fantastic ! Now that is what I am talking about. I have tried a few ways of doing it (fruits, essence ) but I have never made it with chestnut honey.

If and when you have the time , I would love to try that recipe. Thank you so much.

Petals.


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## chefedb

I never used corn starch.


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## french fries

petalsandcoco said:


> FF,
> 
> Fantastic ! Now that is what I am talking about. I have tried a few ways of doing it (fruits, essence ) but I have never made it with chestnut honey.
> 
> If and when you have the time , I would love to try that recipe. Thank you so much.
> 
> Petals.


I told you it would be deceptively simple!

For 4 creme brulees:

4 egg yolks

1/2 Liter cream

1 heaping Tbspn chestnut tree honey

4 Tbspn chestnut cream

sugar for brulee

Mix yolks with honey, then incorporate cream. Pour into ramekins and add one Tbspn chestnut cream to each ramekin. Bake at 250 for 50mn.

The recipe comes from Guy Gedda. He actually uses "Confit de Chataignes" and not chestnut cream. However I have never eaten, seen or made "Confit de Chataignes", so I use Chestnut cream. If I had them I'd use Marron Glacés (candied chestnuts) - absolutely LOVE them. ) I've also made them with nothing inside, just simple chestnut tree honey creme brulees, and it's very good as well !

Now you made me hungry!!


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## siduri

margcata said:


> Good Morning,
> 
> A possibility why your Crème Brulee is too wet is that you have added too much milk or used a diet formatted milk like low fat, or used too many eggs, or used the whites as only yolks are used. Other possibilities are the temperature of cooling or did not use sieve twice.
> 
> This recipe has been in existence since 1520 and here is the traditional recipe for Créme Brulee ( Burnt Cream ) :
> 
> 4 cups whole regular milk
> 
> 2 five cm. cinammon sticks
> 
> 2 five inch strips lemon zest
> 
> 1 1/4 cups or 8 ounces of sugar
> 
> 6 egg yolks
> 
> 1/2 cup corn starch
> 
> A salamandre = a metal disk that acts as an branding iron or Metal Spatula
> 
> Clay ovenware earthenware dishes
> 
> Recipe:
> 
> 1) dissolve the corn starch in 8 fl. oz. of milk.
> 
> 2) heat the rest of the milk in deep sauce pan with the 2 cinammon sticks & the zest and do not boil.
> 
> 3) blend the 6 egg yolks with 8 ounces of sugar
> 
> 4) strain the simmered heated milk through a fine sieve and pour over egg mixture
> 
> 5) add the dissolved corn starch mixutre and blend well and heat gently stirring in one direction
> 
> 6) do not allow to boil
> 
> 7) when the mixture thickens, remove from heat and strain through sieve again
> 
> 8) let it cool completely
> 
> 9) when cool, heat up the salamandre or metal spatula
> 
> 10) sprinkle the sugar over the custard and caramelize with the metal salamandre or spatula to form a thin caramel layer
> 
> *** For final ramekin ( souffle dishes ) placing and caramelizing; please send me a note.
> 
> Have a nice wkend.
> 
> Margaux Cintrano.
> 
> ( Margcata ).


Just where did you get this recipe to know it's the authentic one, Margcata? If it is, it's certainly changed over the centuries - all that cinnamon and lemon - cornstarch - none of those would be in a classic brulee as it's made today, would they? I knew it to be just egg yolks, cream and sugar


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## petalsandcoco

French Fries said:


> I told you it would be deceptively simple!
> 
> For 4 creme brulees:
> 
> 4 egg yolks
> 
> 1/2 Liter cream
> 
> 1 heaping Tbspn chestnut tree honey
> 
> 4 Tbspn chestnut cream
> 
> sugar for brulee
> 
> Mix yolks with honey, then incorporate cream. Pour into ramekins and add one Tbspn chestnut cream to each ramekin. Bake at 250 for 50mn.
> 
> The recipe comes from Guy Gedda. He actually uses "Confit de Chataignes" and not chestnut cream. However I have never eaten, seen or made "Confit de Chataignes", so I use Chestnut cream. If I had them I'd use Marron Glacés (candied chestnuts) - absolutely LOVE them. ) I've also made them with nothing inside, just simple chestnut tree honey creme brulees, and it's very good as well !
> 
> Now you made me hungry!!


FF,

Thank you for posting your recipe. I am a big fan of chestnuts to. I am going to look around for the honey, although I am sure if I go to the Euro store they just might have it. Chestnut cream is another item I might find there. I have the puree that looks like this which I use in some of my baking. Its amazing how alot of the items that are posted on CT or are spoken about are not here. In any event I am going to find out.

This brings back some wonderful memories for me as a child. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif Petals. ps." Confit de Chataignes " ? (where is the icon with the big red heart when you need it ?)


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## petalsandcoco

@ Margcata : _*"and caramelize with the metal salamandre or spatula"*_

I use a torch which does the job extremely quick.

Petals.


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## titomike

Another quick fix for service is to blitz up caramel (usually left over from sugarwork) and keep on hand (sealed!)....a quick melt with a torch gives consistant even colour.

My favourite is Orange and Cardamom....just to showcase this less familiar flavour...


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## boar_d_laze

A few observations:

WWebb, the OP, seems to have suspended his campaign. At least here.
If you use left over caramel from sugar work, does the caramel get brittle and crunchy after its torched and cooled?
The "original" creme brulee was probably Spanish in origin, "crema Catalan;" but big parts of Margcata's make no sense whatsoever. I can only guess that she was in a hurry, translating on the fly, and got some measurements wrong. I don't have any trouble with the ingredients -- the aromatics are a very nice touch -- but the techniques are very old school, and the ratios very strange. When was the last time anyone used a salamander?
I don't like Chestnut honey.
A lot of people in this thread seem to have a very good grasp on how to make this dessert; and they make it differently from one another. Goes to show that there's frequently a lot of right ways to do something.
I'm all in favor of using a bain marie in a moderate oven; but suggest filling the bain marie with water after it's in the oven. I'm not in favor of walking through the kitchen and dealing with opening the oven and sliding the pan in while the pan is full of water. Water is not a creme's friend.
I'm childishly fond of creme brulee. But face it, after it's huge burst of popularity in the eighties and nineties it's become somewhat dated. On the other hand, we saw more than a few menus of high-zoot restaurants in the NorCal wine country -- so maybe it's not dated, but "classic."
BDL


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## chefross

I agree with you Boar...Looking at the recipe it seems like an awful lot of cornstarch.

Many countries have their own version of Creme Brulee.

In Spanish countries don't they have Flan?

Creme Caramel is a derivative as well.


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## french fries

Chefross said:


> I agree with you Boar...Looking at the recipe it seems like an awful lot of cornstarch.
> 
> Many countries have their own version of Creme Brulee.
> 
> In Spanish countries don't they have Flan?
> 
> Creme Caramel is a derivative as well.


Flan is Creme Caramel - not creme brulee.


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## french fries

boar_d_laze said:


> I don't like Chestnut honey.


WoW!I absolutely LOVE chestnut honey. Anyway, as I said, you won't get the full robust flavor from the honey when using 1 Tbspn for 4 desserts. You'll just get the subtle flavor of chestnuts.... delicious.


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## french fries

petalsandcoco said:


> FF,
> 
> Thank you for posting your recipe. I am a big fan of chestnuts to. I am going to look around for the honey, although I am sure if I go to the Euro store they just might have it. Chestnut cream is another item I might find there. I have the puree that looks like this which I use in some of my baking. Its amazing how alot of the items that are posted on CT or are spoken about are not here. In any event I am going to find out.
> 
> This brings back some wonderful memories for me as a child. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif Petals. ps." Confit de Chataignes " ? (where is the icon with the big red heart when you need it ?)


I'm a huge fan of chestnut. Sabaton is a great industrial brand. They also make "Creme de marrons" (I have a few tubes in my cupboard), which is good. You could maybe cook a bit of puree de marrons, which I assume is unsweetened, in a bit of light sugar syrup in order to make a quick alternative to creme de marron.

And I agree with you: confit de chataignes sounds absolutely delicious even though I have absolutely no idea what it is. I'll be in France in a few months, I'll inquire then.


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## boar_d_laze

I like chestnuts and chestnut desserts a great deal.  Just not enamored with chestnut honey; at least not the stuff I've tried.

BDL


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## chefross

French Fries said:


> Flan is Creme Caramel - not creme brulee.


Yes you're right....but my point is that many countries have the custard part of the recipe but call it by many names.


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## petalsandcoco

I found this pic off the web: *Crème brûlée au confit de châtaigne*


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## koukouvagia

boar_d_laze said:


> A few observations:
> 
> A lot of people in this thread seem to have a very good grasp on how to make this dessert; and they make it differently from one another. Goes to show that there's frequently a lot of right ways to do something.
> I'm all in favor of using a bain marie in a moderate oven; but suggest filling the bain marie with water after it's in the oven. I'm not in favor of walking through the kitchen and dealing with opening the oven and sliding the pan in while the pan is full of water. Water is not a creme's friend.
> I'm childishly fond of creme brulee. But face it, after it's huge burst of popularity in the eighties and nineties it's become somewhat dated. On the other hand, we saw more than a few menus of high-zoot restaurants in the NorCal wine country -- so maybe it's not dated, but "classic."
> BDL



Thank you for pointing that out. There ARE a lot of right ways to make something and even though this is a dessert item which usually calls for very specific steps that need to be followed accurately it is still evident that there is more than one way to make it good. And is it really necessary to always go back to original of the originals, siting goodness knows what sources from the baroque period? I think I'm perfectly capable of making a simple dish without consulting ancient recipes.
Some people learned this the hard way ---> me /img/vbsmilies/smilies/blushing.gif
I grew up eating creme caramel and only had creme brulee for the first time about 5yrs ago. I still prefer flan in favor of the burnt creme but do enjoy its creaminess a lot. I am especially fond of the modern seasonal variations like pumpkin creme brulee in the fall. Had some chocolate creme brulee recently but didn't like it much.


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## siduri

What exactly is creme catalan? 

There are other deserts that have caramel and cream (custard) - creme caramel, latte alla portughese, i guess creme catalan - but none are like creme brulee.  There's the most beautiful picture of it in a time/life cookbook from the series "The Good Cook"- it's a very loose cream inside, made with real cream, and a glassy crust, and it's shown being broken by the spoon and the runny cream inside starting to pool around the shards of caramel.  SOOO appealing.  I tried it once, and it was more than wonderful. 

I still would like to know where Margcata got this recipe and how she knows this is the original one.


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## french fries

Chefross said:


> my point is that many countries have the custard part of the recipe but call it by many names.


I think I understand what you mean - but I wouldn't say that a flan (aka creme caramel, they're the same thing) is "the custard part of the creme brulee by another name". In fact in France, we have both the creme brulee and the flan, and they're two different desserts. Flans typically have milk and egg whites, which creme brulee typically does not contain. Flans do not typically have a creamy texture, in fact they're closer to .... jello I guess? I can't find the English word. But anyway, very different textures.


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## koukouvagia

French Fries said:


> I think I understand what you mean - but I wouldn't say that a flan (aka creme caramel, they're the same thing) is "the custard part of the creme brulee by another name". In fact in France, we have both the creme brulee and the flan, and they're two different desserts. Flans typically have milk and egg whites, which creme brulee typically does not contain. Flans do not typically have a creamy texture, in fact they're closer to .... jello I guess? I can't find the English word. But anyway, very different textures.


I wouldn't say jello because there is no gelatin in the custard apart from the egg whites. But you're right, a good flan will be creamy and loose like a pudding almost, while flan has a firmer structure. It stands out of the mold, while a creme brulee would surely puddle.


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## ishbel

When I was a child, here in the UK, we had a french-named, but I believe typically English pudding we called blancmange. It wobbled like a jelly (jello) but was not transparent like a jelly. It could be made from scratch (my mum did it that way) OR, like the famous (dreaded) Bird's custard, it could be bought in sachets of flavoured powder, and then prepared with hot milk, left to cool and then eaten cold. The consistency was similar to panna cotta.

I had a quick look for her recipe, but can't seem to find it. Here's a link to Pearce Duff's packet blancmange, though! http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesc...ry_Chocolate_And_Vanilla_4_per_pack_146g.html


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## boar_d_laze

Blancmange is milk, thickened with corn starch and flavored with citrus peel, cinnamon, and -- sometimes -- almond extract or real almonds.  It's easy as heck to make.   I'll post a recipe for you in the "Recipe" thread.

BDL


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## ishbel

Thanks, BDL, but I found my Mammy's!


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## margcata

Apologies To The Posters On This Thread,

The 1st mistake, is that the  recipe I posted by accident, is Crema Catalana,

and yes, corn flour did exist in 1520, from Mexico.

Remember that Extremaduran, Spanish Gent Hernán Cortéz ?

Crema Catalana is made with the ingredients mentioned further up the thread: The Catalan Generalit ( Government of Catalonia ). This dessert was created on the frontier between southeastern France and province of Girona, Catalonia.

Have a nice wkend.

M.C.


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## colombochute

margcata said:


> and yes, corn flour did exist in 1520, from Mexico.
> 
> Remember that Extremaduran, Spanish Gent Hernán Cortéz ?


Most of us probably do remember Cortez, but I think you mentioned cornstarch, not corn flour - which is quite different. IMO, it is very unlikely that the technology to make cornstarch existed in 1520.


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## siduri

Well, commercially made cornstarch was probably much later, Colombochute, but if you swish ground cornmeal around in some water, drain it, and let the water evaporate and I think you'd get cornstarch. Collect it and you might get enough to make a catalan cream, maybe. I once read how to make potato starch (used in many european cakes) at home - grate potatoes, wash them, let the water evaporate, and gather it.

But for authentic, original recipes, generally I think it's best not to declaim in certain terms something as historical or authentic and rather to say "i found this recipe that so and so says is the original" - there are many urban legends around and lots of cookbook writers who, understandably, want to make their cookbook sound cool and exciting, but most of them are not historians, and most of them, unfortunately, don;t really care what kind of false information they give as long as people buy their cookbooks. They'll give a recipe as "the original" version of something because it gives it prestige, but there is no way to show something is the original. The only thing we can show is that it's NOT (e.g. if we find one that we can date with certainty earlier). So if we say who told us about the recipe's originality, we don't get blamed for not having the correct information - the author we quote is responsible! Of course, if the name of the dish is different, then it's best to check that first before proclaiming anything.

By the way. How may people think Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy from China? I believed that too, like everyone else, until i read a historian/cook who showed that there was a recipe written for pasta BEFORE Marco Polo's first trip to China. Another beloved myth down the drain.

Or perhaps, Marco Polo had never had it at home, and he came back and told his mother about this wonderful new dish he discovered in china and his mother said, "that's not new, Marco, Zia Colombina's been making it for years./img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif"


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## mick dean

i would have though increase the protein, youve just told every possible problem related and unreated, and then pushed your own recipe


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## colombochute

siduri said:


> Well, commercially made cornstarch was probably much later, Colombochute, but if you swish ground cornmeal around in some water, drain it, and let the water evaporate and I think you'd get cornstarch. Collect it and you might get enough to make a catalan cream, maybe. I once read how to make potato starch (used in many european cakes) at home - grate potatoes, wash them, let the water evaporate, and gather it.


You have a good point here, Siduri. Still, I somehow have in mind that cornstarch is a (relatively) recent, and US-based invention.

As for you comments regarding the use of "traditional", I can only agree.


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## chefross

French Fries said:


> I think I understand what you mean - but I wouldn't say that a flan (aka creme caramel, they're the same thing) is "the custard part of the creme brulee by another name". In fact in France, we have both the creme brulee and the flan, and they're two different desserts. Flans typically have milk and egg whites, which creme brulee typically does not contain. Flans do not typically have a creamy texture, in fact they're closer to .... jello I guess? I can't find the English word. But anyway, very different textures.


You proved my point FF....

In the "Food Lover's Companion" Flan is listed as Spanish in origin, and also calls "Creme Caramel" the same thing.

I am re-creating a Lebanese dinner menu for tonight. A good friend of the boss wrote a cookbook back in the 80's and in the recipes I found.........wait for it..........Creme Caramel.

Mexico has flan, although my lady friend from the southern region would argue with you about no egg yolks in the recipe. Her recipe uses goat milk and agave.


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## siduri

I wonder whatever happened to the original poster, the culinary student who wanted to know why his creme brulee wasn't setting. Maybe we all chased him away with our eruditeness!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## french fries

Chefross said:


> my lady friend from the southern region would argue with you about no egg yolks in the recipe.


I did not say there are no egg yolks in a flan recipe (I use whole eggs when making flan). I said there are no egg whites in a creme brulee.


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## swackerthechef

u wanna know a little secret from the top a michelin star chef in london told my head chef that when your boil up your cream and milk add on top of the eggs then return to clean pan of course and let it scramble then once youve let it scramble blitz it with a hand blender and seive into moulds it works amazingly


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## chefzoneau

créme brûlée does not have cinnamon 

and corn flour in it


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## chefzoneau

siduri said:


> What exactly is creme catalan?
> 
> There are other deserts that have caramel and cream (custard) - creme caramel, latte alla portughese, i guess creme catalan - but none are like creme brulee. There's the most beautiful picture of it in a time/life cookbook from the series "The Good Cook"- it's a very loose cream inside, made with real cream, and a glassy crust, and it's shown being broken by the spoon and the runny cream inside starting to pool around the shards of caramel. SOOO appealing. I tried it once, and it was more than wonderful.
> 
> I still would like to know where Margcata got this recipe and how she knows this is the original one.


CREME CATALAN is creme brûlée with the addition of spices, it is not cooked in a bain marie it is baked dry the other difference is it doesn't have a caramel top


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## chefzoneau

wwebb37 said:


> I made a creme brulee and it is very runny and loose. I made it in a large ramekin, and my oven is set at 300 F and there are also bubbles at the top. Ive been cooking it for over 50 min now, but the recipe told me to cook for 30 min.


I make 1000 of these every 5 days I have edited the recipe so its a smaller batch about 4 brûlée its a failsafe recipe 

*CRÈME BRULÉE YIELD: 5 PORTIONS (INDIVIDUALS)*

*Ingredients Quantity*

Milk (1) 100 ml

Cream 400 ml

Vanilla bean ½

Egg yolks 6 (55g eggs)

Sugar (caster) 70 g

Milk (2) 50 ml

Castor sugar as required

*Step Method*

Place the milk (1), cream and split & scraped vanilla bean into a pan and warm to blood temperature.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and milk (2) and slowly pour into the warm milk and cream mixture while stirring to mix thoroughly.
Make light Anglaise over a Bain marie then pass the custard through a fine strainer, remove any bubbles from the surface of the brulee mix and pour into brulee moulds
Place the dishes into a deep oven tray and half fill the tray with hot water and cover with foil.
Place into an oven pre-set to 110-120° c cook until set, approximately 35-45 minutes.
Remove the moulds from the oven and water bath and rest outside of the fridge for 15-20 mins
Cover and place the cooled crème brulee's into the fridge to set (if refridgerated while hot they will crack.)
Dredge each custard with sugar or praline and caramelize to a deep golden brown with a flame gun or brulee iron.


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## chefzoneau

I make 1000 of these every 5 days I have edited the recipe so its a smaller batch about 4 brûlée its a failsafe recipe 

*CRÈME BRULÉE YIELD: 5 PORTIONS *

*Ingredients Quantity*

Milk (1) 100 ml

Cream 400 ml

Vanilla bean ½

Egg yolks 6 (55g eggs)

Sugar (caster) 70 g

Milk (2) 50 ml

Castor sugar as required

*Step Method*

Place the milk (1), cream and split & scraped vanilla bean into a pan and warm to blood temperature.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and milk (2) and slowly pour into the warm milk and cream mixture while stirring to mix thoroughly.
Make light Anglaise over a Bain marie then pass the custard through a fine strainer, remove any bubbles from the surface of the brulee mix and pour into brulee moulds
Place the dishes into a deep oven tray and half fill the tray with hot water and cover with foil.
Place into an oven pre-set to 110-120° c cook until set, approximately 35-45 minutes.
Remove the moulds from the oven and water bath and rest outside of the fridge for 15-20 mins
Cover and place the cooled crème brulee's into the fridge to set (if refridgerated while hot they will crack.)
Dredge each custard with sugar or praline and caramelize to a deep golden brown with a flame gun or brulee iron.


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## chefedb

Blanc-Mange is one of the first forms of dessert basis I learned to make. A very, very long time ago. and after that pastry cream.


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## ezra25

*hi,*

*the reason why your creme brulee didnt work because, should cook in a normal rameskin, you should get a tray and fill it with water half way with your rameskin in it. cook in a 130C oven for a about 20min (probably or 15min) or wait till the top is firm but can still wobble around......it shoudn't any cracks, bubbles and it won't especially be runny.*

*i hope this helps.*

*Ezra25*


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## bulldog

cooking time will very on the amount of water in the water bath.  The bubbles on top is normal.  You can take a torch and break the bubbles before you place it in the oven.


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## bulldog

cooking time will very on the amount of water in the water bath.  The bubbles on top is normal.  You can take a torch and break the bubbles before you place it in the oven.


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## critterturner

Petals!

If you're still looking for creme brulee ideas I really like to incorporate herbs into desserts. One of my favorite creme brulee combinations is honey and thyme. Just substitute honey for some of the sugar and steep fresh thyme in the milk while scalding.


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## petalsandcoco

Thank you CT, I am going to try that combo. Fall is upon us and I make CB alot . I did an infusion of lavender , a very delicate taste.

Hibiscus and cherry ( Deep red color ) is one I would like to make, I just picked it up and have yet to make it.

Nothing beats the original flavors of CB but its nice nice to try new flavors.

Petals,


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## pippety poppety

corn starch was invented in 1840 you're recipe can't be that old.


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## koukouvagia

What remarkable timing that this thread gets resurrected, I was just thinking about that creme caramel I made on valentines day and it seems I used a recipe that called only for egg yolks. Perhaps the consistency was much looser than usual


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## cheftomlangdon

I was taught that the original way to make creme brûlée was to actually boil the milk in a pan until it's about to boil over then violently whisk in the eggs and sugar. Sorry this doesn't help. But maybe try cooking it over a baise Marie, whisking all the time? Add more yolk or to cheat thicken with a bit of corn flour,


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## soesje

we make creme brulee with eggyolks and real cream. 

you could use half cream half milk but not all milk.

the set up in a water bath is meant to carefully cook the brûlées.

water should reach to threequarters up to the rim.

bake till it wobbles in the center. then  take out and cool.

we do that on room temp instead of in fridge. 

finish by sprinkling sugar and either put under broiler/ grill or with a blowtorch.


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## cheftomlangdon

CritterTurner said:


> Petals!
> If you're still looking for creme brulee ideas I really like to incorporate herbs into desserts. One of my favorite creme brulee combinations is honey and thyme. Just substitute honey for some of the sugar and steep fresh thyme in the milk while scalding.


I love thyme in sweet things, my fav porridge is thyme bayleaf and nutmeg with sugar and cinnamon! [emoji]128077[/emoji]


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