We are looking for a high volume receipe for creme brulee...enough to fill 80 4oz ramakins for a single sitting. Is there a way to do these without baking them in a water bath? I seem to remember a friend in France who did it this way. thanks..bob & Jim..My Old Kentucky Dinner Train

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, September 28, 1999 - 09:36 am: Edit

I've never had a problem multipling a creme brulee receipe...? I always use a water bath so I can't address that, but you can use any brulee receipe in volume.

By d. on Tuesday, September 28, 1999 - 07:13 pm: Edit

A couple months back I went to the Western Food expo., and found out it is possible to bake creme brulee without a waterbath as long as the oven has a steaming function.

By makubo on Saturday, October 02, 1999 - 05:13 pm: Edit

Double-wrap the dish or container with the royale with clingfilm and steam in a combisteamer, always comes out right, can't overcook it.

By Chefdejon (Chefdejon) on Sunday, October 03, 1999 - 08:09 pm: Edit

increase the egg yolks when multiplying recipe and you can do them in a combi...on bio stem with glad wrap over them.....but youll still have to put them under a salamander to caramalise the sugar on top, unless of course youre talking about creme caramels º¿º

By Dominique on Friday, November 05, 1999 - 01:28 am: Edit

Hope y'all don't mind me barging in? :)

I used to do a Brulee recipe on a double boiler, never baking it at all.

Bring to a boil:
9 qts of whipping cream (Not Heavy cream, doesn't seem to hold up as well)
and 3 vanilla beans

Meanwhile, on a double-boiler, briskly whip:
30 yolks
9 oz of sugar

When the yolks are thick and fluffy, strain the boiled cream into it, and continue to stir for a few minutes until the mix looks 'fluffy'.

It's easy to 'break' the brulee this way though, it's important to keep the yolks moving and if you can get someone else to pour the cream in while you stir, that's always a bonus.

Then just pour into the ramikins and chill.

Dominique :)

By W.DeBord on Friday, November 05, 1999 - 07:35 am: Edit

Dominique I'm curious, I have seen recipes that cook Brulee on the stove. I have never tried it fearing it would be thinner or taste different. Does this come out as thick and rich? Can people (non-professionals) tell it's different?

By Dominique (Dominique) on Friday, November 05, 1999 - 03:12 pm: Edit

Yes, it has a different texture.. it's not as smooth nor firm as a baked custard. But I think it has a nice 'melt-in-your-mouth' feel to it and it's definitely as rich. I'm sure non-professionals can tell the difference, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. At the hotel where I used that recipe, we had the reputation for the best brulees in town.

Dominique :)

By W.DeBord on Saturday, November 06, 1999 - 07:36 am: Edit

Thanks!

By lucretia pinnock on Sunday, December 19, 1999 - 08:25 pm: Edit

I am looking for a creme brulee "kit" . cooking.com had them, but they have no more ininventory. This will be a gift for a creme brulee "lover". Thanks for your help.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, December 19, 1999 - 10:57 pm: Edit

I don't know what came in the "Kit" but you can gather the items yourself. You can buy shallow ramikins and a propane torche to carmelize the sugar at Williams Sonoma stores or through their catalog. You might find a cheaper kitchen wares store that sell the items also.

Good Luck

By karen on Monday, May 29, 2000 - 03:25 am: Edit

I am a pastry chef who always makes stove top creme brulee. If you read Harold McGee, he explains why a stirred custard will always come out creamier (binding properties of the egg yolk). Stove top is very fast and you control the consistancy of each brulee.Plus, you can place fresh berries on the bottom of the dish and they stay fresh(people can't figure out how). I learned this method in a very famous (and busy) west coast restaurant. We would actually break the custard- bring it to a boil in the center of the pot. We would then beur mix it in an ice bath (and bring the custard back)
Pour while warm and ready to eat in an hour!
20 yolks, 1 1/2 qt cream 1 vanilla bean, pinch salt, 8 oz sugar. Multiply it on up! If you go over 100 yolks it will be difficult as the heat will keep breaking the custard. Better to just do another batch. Creme brulee for 300 is no problem )Every cook that I have taught this method says that there is no going back!