Cowboy Coffee Creme Brulee

Cowboy Coffee Crème Brûlée

Serves 8

8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3-1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons ground coffee
3 tablespoons Sucanat or brown sugar

Whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until lightened in color. Combine the cream and coffee in a saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour a third of the hot cream into the yolk mixture while stirring rapidly to prevent cooking the yolks. Slowly pour in the rest of the cream. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl to remove the coffee grounds. Chill the mixture by placing the bowl in an ice bath or in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pour the mixture into 8 coffee cups or ramekins. Place in a roasting pan and pour hot water halfway up the side of the dishes. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the water bath and let cool.

When ready to serve, sprinkle an even coating of the Sucanat or brown sugar over the tops, just enough to cover. Place under the broiler to caramelize the sugar. Cool slightly and serve.

Serving Suggestions
At Red Sage, we serve the brûlée with a cactus-shaped pecan cookie, but a Chocolate Ganache Tombstone works equally well.

Buy the Book!

Red Sage: Contemporary American Cuisine
By Mark Miller
Ten Speed Press
Cloth, 248 pages, $40.00
Publication Date: December 1999
ISBN: 0-89815-759-5
Recipe reprinted by permission.