Jordan Ryan, head chef at the Weeping Willow in Barrow, just outside Bury St Edmunds, gives us his recipe for a Christmas dessert that is naughty… but nice!
Hello and welcome back. I hope everyone is well and getting in the Christmas spirit, I know I am. In hospitality, December is always looked at as one of the hardest times of the year because of how busy places get, so we try to make it as simple as possible while still making sure it’s super tasty, which takes me into what I’m going to bring you in this month’s article.
So I thought I’d keep in line with that and bring you my Milk Chocolate and Clementine Crème Brûlée. It’s on our pastry menu this month and is currently becoming our most popular dessert. It’s super simple and packs flavour, but also it’s a lovely little naughty treat after a dinner and a great one for Christmas day, especially if, like me, you don’t like Christmas pudding.
Crème brûlée is up there for one of the most famous desserts in the world and yet the origin of this dessert is up for debate. England, France and Spain all believe they created this world-renowned dish.
France’s version is in the most traditional format, which is a vanilla baked custard with sugar on top which is then blowtorched into a nice caramelization. The first recorded recipe was in a cookbook called Le Cuisinier royal et bourgeois written by François Massialot in 1691.
England’s version, called burnt cream, came from Trinity College in Cambridge, hence why you might see this on menus in this area. Again, the same version as the French, the only difference being they branded the dessert with the logo of the college on it. It’s claimed it was first served here in 1630.
Spain’s version is called Crema Catalana, which is slightly different, and, in all honesty, I think my favourite. Again, a baked vanilla custard but topped with cinnamon sugar and then caramelised - they claim the first version of this was recorded in the 18th century.
I’m unsure who created it but, in all honesty, I’m not too fussed where it comes from, I’m just glad it exists. . .
In recent years chefs have gone experimental with the dish, as we do, and created some different flavours and versions, hence why we’re going to do a milk chocolate one. Although you’d think it’s going to be super sweet, a baked chocolate vanilla custard with more sugar and then ice cream, it’s really not that sweet. It has a nice tangy flavour with the clementine running through it, and we serve it with a sour orange gel too, which cuts through some of that sweetness.
Well, I hope you all have a fantastic December filled with lots of festive activities. Have a lovely Christmas everyone and a happy new year and I’ll see you in January for some nice hearty winter warmers.
Until then, thank you very much for reading and have a good one.
So, time for the recipe and method, - as always I’d love to see the creations and any feedback, and if you don’t fancy making this at home pop up to the Willow for one! We have them on until the new year.
MILK CHOCOLATE AND CLEMENTINE BRÛLÉE
Ingredients:
150g egg yolk
60g caster sugar
600g double cream
120g milk chocolate
2 clementines, zest and juice
Method:
1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until thick.
2. In a separate pan, bring the double cream, clementine juice and zest to the boil, and once boiled, add the milk chocolate and whisk well until fully incorporated.
3. Add the egg mixture and whisk thoroughly, then pour into ramekins and put onto a tray. Fill the tray with a thumb nails worth of water and cook at 130°C for 20 minutes, they should still have a little wobble when cooked.
4. Put in the fridge to set, then sprinkle with sugar, blowtorch and serve.
Jordan Ryan is head chef at The Weeping Willow, 39 Bury Road, Barrow Hill, Barrow, Bury Saint Edmunds IP29 5AB
Call 01284 771881
See www.theweepingwillow.co.uk
