Orange Crème Brûlée with Mt. Eccentric and Guit-Fiddle

By: Kaitlin Hill 

Impress guests at your next dinner party with my twist on the classic crème brûlée. Updating this traditional dessert is easier than you think. The custard center gets a punch of citrus flavor from freshly grated orange zest and the quintessential cracking top can be accomplished by any level cook and without a blow torch. Pair this rich and creamy dessert two ways with Old Bust Head’s new releases, Mt. Eccentric and Guit-Fiddle. Mt. Eccentric’s touches of pineapple and Meyer lemon and Guit-Fiddle’s hint of lime mirror the crème brûlée’s notes of citrus while cutting the dessert’s richness. Both pairings make for a well-rounded end to an evening of delicious food, tasty beer and good company.  

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 
2 cups of heavy cream 
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
1 tablespoon of orange zest 
1/8 teaspoon of salt 
5 egg yolks 
1/2 cup of sugar, additional for topping 

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 325°F. 

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine heavy cream, vanilla extract, orange zest and salt. Cook until the cream just starts to simmer. Turn the heat off and let sit for a few minutes while the orange zest steeps. 

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until completely combined and light in color. Next, temper your eggs. Slowly, pour a quarter of the cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Touch the egg yolk mixture with your finger. If it is warm to the touch, you can add it into the remaining cream and stir to combine completely.  

Divide the crème brûlée liquid between four 6-ounce ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until the crème brûlées are mostly set with a slight wiggle in the center. 

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to cool completely. Let set in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. You can even make them a few days in advance and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. 

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on the top of each crème brûlée. Place the ramekins under a broiler and cook until the sugar has charred and become crispy, about 2 - 3 minutes depending on your broiler. Don’t walk away during this stage, browning will happen quickly.

Remove crème brûlées from the oven and let sit for five minutes before serving.