Subtle French Temptation: Creme Brulée with Blueberries and My First Blogging Annniversary

It's hard to believe that it's already one year that I started this blog.
I remember when I used to check constantly on how many people saw my posts and was waiting with impatience for the first comments to come.
Suppose all of us bloggers were having similar feelings and experiences.
And how did all this start?
Once upon a time... no, just kidding :)
Actually it all started when I checked the attic of our house in Austria for some books and found an old, handwritten recipe collection of one of my ancestors written from the year 1844 on.

During the first half of the 19th Century was the time when Napoleon's troops occupied  Austria and later the Congress of Vienna decided the fate of Europe for the after Napoleonic area.
The collection contains such elegant recipes like Crayfish Mousse (crayfish is nearly extinguished by now in Austria) and Violet Ice Cream.

Some of the ingredients are not available any longer and the quantities of butter and eggs used would be the horror of every modern fitness fan.

But somehow this little book inspired me to start my blog and I keep it in a special place in my heart.

So I was thinking about what to prepare for my first blogging anniversary when I remembered this wonderful French Creme brulée which I use to prepare for special occasions.

Oh the French !
They are still the masters and divas of culinary delights and this dessert proofs it.
The creme literally melts in your mouth and its subtle flavor and the contrast in texture between the soft creme and the crunchy au gratin sugar topping is superb.
The best of it is undoubtedly that it looks as if you would have spent hours in the kitchen but it's actually very easy to do and needs only 5 ingredients!
Usually I prepare it in very small portions as this rich, luscious creme and is best enjoyed in "petit".

You need:

4 yolks
3 spoonful finely granulated sugar
300 ml Crème Double
300 ml heavy cream
seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 5 drops vanilla extract

for the crust (topping)
12 spoonful sugar
Heat oven at 200 C (about 350F)
Prepare 6 ramekins, 100ml each.
Whisk yolks in a large  bowl with sugar and the Vanilla seeds or vanilla extract until becomes pale.

Bring Creme double and heavy cream in a big pan to a boil, turn heat down and let simmer for about 8 minutes.

Pour the cream very slowly (so that the egg doesn´t get boiled) over the yolk mixture while stirring constantly until thickened. 

Place at the bottom of each ramekin some blueberries (or other berries).

Place in a jar and pour in the ramekins to about 2/3 full.

Put the forms in a large roasting tray, fill up with hot water, enough to come up half way up their outside.

Bake in oven for about 45-50 minutes.
The crème is ready when the surface is just firm but still wobbly in the center.
Let cool down, then place overnight in fridge.
Take out at least for 1/2 an hour before browning the sugar.
Put 1 spoonful of sugar on top of each form but be careful not to crash the surface.
Then put another spoonful sugar evenly on each top.

Put under the grill at highest heat until sugar is melted or use a torch to melt the sugar and form a crispy top.

Serves 6.

Thank you for following me on this blogging adventure for the past year and I hope we can share many more posts together.

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See you next week!