Savory Crème Brûlée

Tweaked from Boulangere on Food52

Ingredients

• 16 oz heavy cream

• 2 leeks

• 2 or 3 sprigs of tarragon

• 4 peppercorns

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 1 tsp salt

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Trim off green parts of leeks, cut in half lengthwise, and wash well.  Slice into ¼” half-moons.

3. Add cream, leeks, tarragon, and peppercorns to a saucepan.  Over medium heat, bring the cream to a scald--you’ll see little bubbles around the circumference--being careful not to reach a simmer or (god forbid) a boil.  Remove from heat and allow the ingredients to steep for 15 minutes.

4. Once steeped, return to heat and scald once more.  Or don’t, like Christine accidentally did.  Is this the mystery step that makes or breaks this recipe?  Tweet us @DreadandBfast.

5. Strain the cream into a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, something that is easy to pour carefully.
   

6. THWACK!  Whisk together the egg and yolks, honey, salt, and lemon juice in a large-ish bowl.  Very slowly stream in the cream, whisking constantly so the eggs don’t scramble.  (Hooray, now you have custard!!)  When you’re done, strain the mixture back into the easy-to-pour container.
   

7. Put four 4-oz ramekins in a baking dish, and fill each with custard, dividing equally.  Put the baking dish in the oven, and pour enough hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  
   

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until nearly set.  The custards should jiggle when you tap the side of the ramekin.  
   

9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of each custard, turn the oven to broil, and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is golden brown.  KEEP WATCH--broiling anything can go so wrong, so fast.  Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
   

10. Alternatively, if you would like to prepare ahead, I assume you could stop after step 8, cover and chill, and complete step 9 when you are ready to serve.  But be warned, this is an untested theory, and you could end up angering the spirit of cream, turning this from a blessed recipe into a cursed one.  Modify at your own risk.