Light the Kitchen on Fire! (...safely)

Happy Tuesday! I recently christened my new blowtorch, making creme brulee with an extra sugary top. It got me thinking...what else can go under the flames? Here are a few ideas. Get the butane

ready!

Mangoes Flambe
Gourmet May 2003

Ingredients

• 4 (1-pound) firm-ripe mangoes
• 6 tablespoons turbinado sugar such as Sugar in the Raw
• 1/3 cup dark rum

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Wash and dry mangoes. Remove 2 flat sides of each mango with a sharp knife, cutting lengthwise alongside pit and cutting as close to pit as possible so that mango flesh is in 2 large pieces (reserve remaining fruit for another use). Make a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife, cutting across fruit down to skin at 1/2-inch intervals and being careful not to pierce through. Grasp fruit at both ends and turn inside out to make flesh side convex.
3. Arrange fruit, skin side down, in a large shallow baking pan lined with foil and sprinkle evenly with 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar (total). Broil 5 inches from heat until fruit is golden brown (it will not brown evenly), about 5 minutes. Arrange fruit on a large platter.
4. Cook rum with remaining sugar in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then carefully ignite rum with a kitchen match and pour, still flaming, over warm mangoes. Serve immediately.

Creme Brulee

Dieter Schorner

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• Small pinch salt
• 4 egg yolks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275°. In a small pan, bring cream, 2 tbsp. sugar, vanilla bean, and salt just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove and discard vanilla bean.
2. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1 tbsp. sugar until sugar dissolves. Slowly whisk in cooled cream (if it is not cool, yolks will scramble). Strain through a fine sieve. 
3. Divide custard between 4 shallow gratin dishes (each about 1/2 cup in capacity). Place dishes in a baking pan, then place pan in oven. Pour enough cold water into pan to come about halfway up sides of dishes. Bake until custards set, 30-35 minutes. 
4. Cover cooled custards with plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Before serving, sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp. sugar on each custard and use a blowtorch to caramelize tops, holding torch at an angle (flame should barely touch surface) to brown sugar.

Happy baking!