Creme Brulee is simple but elegant. It is the perfect ending for a cozy Valentine’s Day dinner for two! This delicious recipe is a snap to prepare, plus it’s a make-the-day-ahead dish. The only tricky part may be tracking down the ramekins. Borrow from a friend’s kitchen if need be!
2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup white sugar 1 pinch salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 egg yolks 1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally 4 to 5 minutes, until steam rises. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Pour hot cream into yolks, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all cream is incorporated. Note that the mixture should be a light, creamy yellow. Pour mixture into four 6-ounce ramekins.
Place ramekins in baking dish and bring a pot of water to boil. Place dish on oven rack. Pour boiling water into dish to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover whole pan loosely with foil.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven until custard is just set. Chill ramekins in refrigerator 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
Before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar over each custard. Make sure your layer of brown sugar is thin! Use a kitchen torch or oven broiler to brown top, 2 to 3 minutes.
New York Egg Creams
Picture yourself in a 1950s Malt Shop... what better captures the innocence of first romance than two heads bent over straws nestled in a single soda glass? Take your sweetheart back in time with this simple but refreshing concoction.
For each Egg Cream you prepare, you will need:
1 ounce half and half 2 Tablespoons Hershey’s chocolate syrup Chilled Seltzer water
In a tall glass, stir together the half and half and the Hershey’s syrup. While still stirring, pour in Seltzer water to fill glass. (Be sure to use a newly opened bottle of seltzer water for maximum fizz.) Serve with a straw and the Elvis love song of your choice.
Fast Fondue
Having friends over for a Valentine’s Day dinner? A great dish that encourages lingering over dessert and conversation is a must. Our suggestion: chocolate fondue! It’s rich, creamy, and even a little healthy, if you consider the fresh fruit component.
2/3 cup dark corn syrup ½ cup heavy cream 9 oz semisweet OR milk chocolate, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
For dipping: assorted sliced fresh fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, nectarines or pineapple; toasted chunks of pound cake; macaroons; brownie bites... anything you enjoy dipped in chocolate!
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the corn syrup and cream to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted. Arrange the fruits and other dipping bits on a platter. Pass toothpicks or skewer to spear the fruits for dipping into the warm chocolate.