Now this sounds like our kind of dessert: crème brûlée with a Scottish twist from relaxed gourmet bolthole Monachyle Mhor. One taste of this and we’re sure to be transported to the Highlands…
Crème brûlée with shortbread and Glengoyne-soaked sultanas
Ingredients:
For the Glengoyne-soaked sultanas:
4 tablespoons of golden sultanas
Glengoyne 21-year-old malt whisky
For the crème brûlée:
450ml of double cream
50ml of milk
1 vanilla pod, split with the seeds scraped out
5 free-range egg yolks
75g of caster sugar, plus an extra 40g to glaze the brûlée
For the shortbread:
600g of plain flour
200g of caster sugar, plus extra to dredge
150g of hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely ground
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
450g of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
Method:
For the Glengoyne-soaked sultanas:
1. Soak the sultanas in boiling water for 20 minutes
2. Strain and cover with whisky
3. Steep overnight
For the crème brûlée:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2
2. Heat the cream and milk until simmering, add the vanilla seeds, stir and keep hot
3. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy, then strain into the hot cream and stir well
4. Pour the mixture into 4 ovenproof cups, set in a deep roasting tray
5. Pour enough boiling water into the tray to reach halfway up the cups. Cook for about 30-35 minutes until set but still soft in the centre. Remove from the water, cool and then chill
For the shortbread:
1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until they just come together
2. Tip onto a work surface and bring together into a flat round
3. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour
4. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2
5. Roll out the dough about 1cm thick and cut into 24 rounds
6. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pale but not coloured
8. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and dredge with caster sugar
To finish the crème brûlées:
1. Sprinkle half the remaining caster sugar evenly over the surface of the crème brûlées
2. Caramelise with a blowtorch
3. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and caramelise again
4. Serve immediately with the shortbread, or keep chilled for up to 2-3 hours
See our other favourite recipes, including the perfect croissants, lemon and ginger chicken tagine and baked egg with sage and a tomato and pomegranate salad.