BALSAMIC-BLACKBERRY CREME BRULE

By BobD

Ingredients

• Yield: Makes 6 servings
• 2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
• 3 tablespoons 5- to 10-year-old balsamic vinegar
• 1 2/3 cups unflavored Greek yogurt or other whole-milk yogurt
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup orange blossom honey
• 6 tablespoons or 12 teaspoons oven-dried brown sugar (see note below) or turbinado sugar

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put the blackberries and sprinkle with the vinegar. Let stand for 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the berries for garnish. Divide the remaining berries among six standard-size flan dishes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt and sour cream and divide the mixture among the dishes. Drizzle with the honey. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

When ready to serve, place the dishes on a baking sheet and evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown or turbinado sugar over each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, caramelize the sugar (see note below). Garnish the top of the caramelized sugar with the reserved blackberries.


Oven-Dried Brown Sugar:
Due to the moisture content of brown sugar, it recommended to dry it before caramelizing. Spread light or dark brown sugar out on a baking sheet in a 1/8-inch layer and bake in a preheated 275F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned a shade darker. Let cool, place in a small resealable plastic bag, and crush it thoroughly with a rolling pin or flat metal mallet to make fine crystals. Brown sugar treated in this manner has an excellent flavor when caramelized.