Luxurious Crab Brûlée Recipe
Indulge in this Crab Brûlée Recipe, blending fresh crab with a creamy custard and caramelized crust. Perfect for special occasions!
Equipment
- Kitchen Torch
- Ramekins (4-6 oz)
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Crab Custard:
- 1 lb fresh lump crab meat, carefully picked for shells
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons cognac
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Brulee Topping:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely minced
Instructions
Prep the Crab:
- Gently inspect crab meat, removing any potential shell fragments.
- Pat crab meat dry with paper towels to ensure maximum custard integration.
Create Custard Base:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and whole eggs until smooth.
- Gradually incorporate heavy cream, whisking continuously.
- Add cognac, sea salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
- Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer to ensure silky texture.
Combining Ingredients:
- Fold chopped chives into custard mixture.
- Gently incorporate crab meat, being careful not to break meat into tiny pieces.
- Distribute crab meat evenly throughout custard.
Baking Process:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Butter ramekins thoroughly.
- Divide crab custard mixture evenly among ramekins.
- Place ramekins in large baking dish.
- Fill baking dish with hot water, reaching halfway up ramekin sides.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until custard is just set but slightly trembling.
Brulee Finishing:
- Remove ramekins from water bath.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly across custard surface.
- Use kitchen torch to caramelize sugar until golden brown and crackling.
Notes
- Crab brûlée can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.
- Store covered in refrigerator.
- Best consumed within 2 days.
- Do not caramelize sugar until just before serving to maintain crisp topping.