Coconut Creme Brûlée

put the creme in the coconut and mix it all up!

When I think about an eggy dessert little else comes to mind than creamy, dreamy creme brûlée. Creme brûlée only uses the yellow yolks of the egg, so save the whites for something else (like a breakfast burrito!). This dessert is both decadent and simple. Decadent because of the texture and richness of the ingredients, but simple in that it requires few. Don't be fooled though, this recipe can be tricky to make.

Classic creme brûlée is flavored only with vanilla, but I've jazzed this up a bit by adding coconut. I've subbed in a can of coconut milk for part of the cream and topped each ramekin not only with sugar, but shredded sweetened coconut. Unlike many of my recipes, this one does requires some time, effort, and precision. So make this dessert when you're feeling ambitious! Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 6
1 Pint Heavy (Whipping) Cream
13.5 oz. Can Full Fat Coconut Milk (suggest Chaokoh)
1 Vanilla Bean, split & seeds scraped
6 Egg Yolks (save the whites)
1/2 C Granulated Sugar, plus more for topping
~ 1/2 C Shredded Sweetened Coconut

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Then turn down and keep warm on low.

In a medium sauce pan combine the cream, coconut milk (shake well), and vanilla bean with seeds scraped from the inside. Bring to a gentle boil over med-high heat. Once this comes to a boil, remove from the heat and cover. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes - the vanilla will perfume the cream.

Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and 1/2 C sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together just until the yolks begin to turn light yellow, about 2-3 minutes by hand.

Once the cream is ready begin to add it to the egg yolks, a little at a time, whisking constantly until all of the cream is incorporated. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get out any lumps and the vanilla bean.

Next, divide the mixture into 6 (6-7 oz.) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large pan (I used a lasagna pan) and carefully put them onto the oven rack. Be sure to pull the oven rack out slightly. Then pour the hot (not boiling) water around the ramekins half way up their sides. This water bath will help to cook the creme brûlée evenly. Carefully push the rack into the oven and cook for 50-55 minutes.

You will know that the creme brûlée is done when the center still shakes, but the edges are set and the top is beginning to brown. Remove the ramekins from the pan and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

Prior to serving, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Top each ramekin with 2-3 T coconut and 1 tsp. sugar. Using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar and toast the coconut until brown and crispy. If you don't have a kitchen torch, like me, line the ramekins up on a baking sheet and broil in the oven on high for 1-2 minutes. Allow them to cool a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!