Mushroom crème brûlées
For dessert-lovers, crème brûlée is hard to beat. This month, we serve up a savoury twist on the iconic French dish with mushrooms centre stage, courtesy of the intrepid Dick and Angel Strawbridge
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- Serves 4
- 10 g of dried cep mushrooms 275ml full fat milk
- 150 ml double cream
- 2 egg yolks
- A little grated nutmeg
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
- salt and pepper
- Garnish
- 100 ml sherry vinegar
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 60 g exotic mushrooms
Instructions
- Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl. Heat 150ml of the milk in a small saucepan until it just comes to the boil. Pour it over the mushrooms and leave to soak for one and a half to two hours. Keep pushing them down into the milk to make sure they soften. Once the mushrooms have softened, pulse them in a food processor until smooth and then pass them through a fine sieve.
- Preheat the oven to 120°C/ fan 100°C/Gas Mark 1⁄2. Heat the remaining milk and cream together to boiling point. Take off the heat and whisk in the mushroom puree.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and gradually whisk in the mushroom milk until combined. Season with a little salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Pour the mixture into teacups or dishes and place in a roasting tin. Add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes and bake for an hour or until set when shaken gently.
- Remove from the oven and set aside until completely cooled. Top with the demerara sugar and using a blow torch, caramelise the tops.
- Meanwhile, make the garnish. Place the sherry vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil stirring. Cook until the mixture is syrupy. Add the mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes until they are tender. Spoon on top of the brûlées to serve.