Famous French Food

French markets are heaven on earth for food-lovers, and heaven is just a day trip away. Here’s our guide to making the most of them, with tips on where to go, what to bring back and how to blend in with the locals.

 

Famous French food is fashionable again. Not the heavy haute cuisine of days past, but home cooking that uses whatever the land or sea has to offer and which gives a place its culinary identity. So here’s what each region has to offer.

There are two distinct styles of eating in France. One is haute cuisine, widely known and honored as the epitome of French gastronomy. It’s rarely practiced in daily life though, and over the past few years has taken a back seat to France ‘s other style of cooking.

This is the ‘cuisine grandmère’ or family-style cooking, just as delicious as its celebrated counterpart and now extremely fashionable. Ignoring political boundaries, the cooks of France still divide their country into its old regional names, with each one having its unique contribution to make to the country’s culinary repertoire.

 

The list below is your guide into different France areas in terms of famous French food:

Normandy
Normandy is famous for its rich cream, apples and seafood. The region supplies about half of France ‘s dairy products. Its apples are the basis of its most well-known pastry, Tarte Normande. From its fragrant apples comes Calvados (apple brandy) and cider, which are likewise used in a lot of local dishes.

The seas around the coasts provide an abundance of seafood and cream plays a part in many of the region’s sauces; a popular dish using both is Moules à la Crème Normande. Rouen is known as the gastronomic capital of Normandy, famous for its duck dishes including duck with cherries and Canard à la Rouennaise, duck stuffed with its liver and cooked in red wine. Camembert cheese originated in Normandy and the town of Gournay claims to have invented the brioche.

Recipes:
French Apple Tart by Mary Berry
Sole Stewed in Cider with Mussels by Elizabeth David
Pot Roasted Pheasant with Cider and Calvados by AWT
Brioche

 

Brittany
Brittany is home to crêpes, the delicate pancakes with wonderful sweet and savoury fillings. They’re made with wheat flour and the most common is the crêpe beurre-sucre made with butter and sugar. Buckwheat flour is used to make galettes, another local favorite, which always have savoury fillings such as the galette complète with ham, egg and cheese. Seafood fillings are also popular given Brittany ‘s coastal location.

Recipes:
Crêpes

 

Champagne and the north
Champagne’s main contribution is obvious, but being on the Belgian border, there are also rich dishes of Flemish influence and the region’s cooler climate lends itself to growing potatoes, cabbages, beets, watercress, endive and leeks. Flamiche is a simple dish of leeks cooked with cream and eggs in a pastry crust, and endive flamande is made by wrapping endives in ham and serving them with a white sauce.

Carbonnade de Boeuf is another classic dish, where the beef is slowly braised in onions and beer. Much of the region’s fish is used in a stew called chaudrée (hence ‘chowder’). The cosmopolitan city of Lille is a big producer of charcuterie and beer . Pastries are quite basic with gaufres (waffles eaten with sugar and fresh cream) being the most widespread. In Champagne Biscuits de Reims are sweet and delicious paper-thin macaroons.

Recipes:
Beef in Beer
Flemish-style Beef and Bacon Casserole

 

Alsace and Lorraine
Alsace and Lorraine have been dominated by Germany more than once in their past and this is evident in many of their dishes where pickled cabbage and pork are common. Baeckeoffe is a stew made marinated meat and vegetables, Choucroute Alsacienne is pickled cabbage flavored with juniper berries and served with hot sausages, bacon or pork knuckle.

They also enjoy all kinds of savoury pies and tarts, the most famous being tarte flambée or flammekuche which is a thin layer of pastry topped with cream, onion and bacon and cooked in a wood fire oven. From Lorraine, comes the most famous of all, Quiche Lorraine. Originally, this dish was made without cheese, however, most recipes now add vegetables, seafood or ham, together with cheese to the basic mix of eggs and cream.

Recipes:
Crab, Saffron and Leek Quiche by Rick Stein

 

Burgundy and Bordeaux
Burgundy and Bordeaux dishes make liberal use of their famous red and white wines. Burgundy provides the best beef in France and is famous for its Boeuf Bourguignon. It’s also home to Dijon mustard which is used to enhance the flavor of many dishes. Coq au Vin (chicken in red wine) is another perennial favorite, and in this region you’ll find the biggest escargots (snails) in France – raised on grape leaves they’re also meant to be the tastiest.

Bordeaux is carnivore country, its most celebrated dish being Entrecôte Marchand de Vin – rib steak cooked in a rich gravy made from Bordeaux wine, butter, shallots, herbs and bone marrow. Sweet treats include cannelés (caramelised brioche-style pastries) and the famous marrons glacés (candied chestnuts).

Recipes:
Beef Bourguignon by AWT
Coq au Vin by Delia Smith

Languedoc-Roussillon, Gascony and the Basque Country
These regions lie on the Spanish border and, using an abundance of tomatoes, peppers and spicy sausage, their food naturally shares many similarities with Spain. Cassoulet is Languedoc ‘s signature dish (a casserole with meat and beans), Roussillon has a similar dish called Ouillade. There are strong Spanish and Catalan influences in Roussillon too, with tapas served in most wine bars.

Gascony dishes are kept simple but hearty with lots of meat, fat and salt. Garbure is a thick stew made with vegetables, herbs, spices and preserved meats. Poulet Basque is a chicken stew with tomatoes, onions, peppers and white wine and Piperade is Basque comfort cooking – peppers, onions and tomatoes cooked with ham and eggs. The locally prepared Bayonne ham is usually eaten sliced with bread but is also the basis of Jambon à la Bayonniase (ham braised in Madeira).

Recipes:
Cassoulet

 

Provence
Provence in the south of France has its glorious weather to thank for its colorful, flavorsome specialties like Ratatouille and Salad Niçoise. It is often called the ‘garden of France’ because of its quality herbs, fruit and vegetables. Dishes here rely on tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and plenty of fresh herbs.

It’s not an area famous for its meat dishes, but a winter staple is Boeuf en Daube – beef stewed with red wine, onions, garlic, vegetables and herbs. Perhaps its most famous dish is Bouillabaisse, a hearty fish soup served as a main course brimming with lobster, crab, mussels or clams, and accompanied by Rouille – a spicy mayonnaise made with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers and fish broth – and warm bread.

Recipes:
Ratatouille
Salad Niçoise
Bouillabaisse
Beef and Wine Stew with Black Olives by Elizabeth David
Pissaladiere

 

Famous French food is mostly so much famous through excellent French Wines, isn’t it?

Winemaking in France dates back to pre-Roman times, also it was the Romans who disseminated the culture of the wine and the practice of winemaking throughout the country.

Wine is the product of the juice of freshly picked grapes, after natural or cultured yeasts have converted the grape sugars into alcohol during the fermentation process. The yeasts, or less, are normally filtered out before bottling.

The range, quality and reputation of the fine wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone, and Champagne in particular have made them role models the world over.

France ‘s everyday wines can be highly enjoyable too, with plenty of good value wines now emerging from the southern regions. Each of ten principal wine producing regions has its own identity, based on grape varieties and terroir. Appelation controlee laws guarantee a wine’s origins and style.

 

Famous French Food: French Cheese

France ‘s 400 sorts of cheese could puzzle Mickey mouse … Here are some of the more famous French cheese varieties.

SAFR Port Salut
Semi-hard cow’s milk cheese. First developed by Trappist monks in 1816 – smooth, mild, creamy and all-natural. Great with fruit, crackers and your favorite French wine.
Good with red wine.

Couturier and Soignon Goat Cheeses
Couturier is the number one goat cheese in America, molded by hand for a delicate texture, made from fresh curd for rich flavor and dependable quality. Available in plain, ash, garlic & herbs, four pepper, basil and rosemary. Comes in 4-oz., 5H-oz., 11-oz. logs. Spreadable Soignon goat cheese is perfect for sandwiches, crackers and dips.
Good with red wine.

 

Marquis de Lafayette • Martin Collet • King Louis XIV
Soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese. All of these delicious soft-ripened cheeses offer the sinfully rich taste of genuine French brie. They are three of the leading French brands imported into the U.S. and are guaranteed to please anyone who appreciates this glorious cheese, one of the great gastronomic wonders of the world!
Good with red wine.
Claudel • Fleurs de France • Joan of Arc
Soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese. Internationally famous for its sublime texture and subtle taste, French brie is the centerpiece of elegant entertaining. The master cheese makers of these leading imported brands use century-old craftsmanship that makes authentic French brie an incomparable pleasure.
Good with red wine.

 

President & Grosjean Emmental
Hard cow’s milk cheese. Emmental, the Swiss-style mountain cheese with the French difference! This hard cheese is made the traditional way, pressed into huge wheels, weighing up to 150 pounds. It has a deliciously mild, nutty flavor, a smooth, firm texture, and large, evenly distributed holes. Perfect sliced in sandwiches or as an ingredient in cooking.
Good with red and white wine.
Madrigal Baby Swiss
Hard cow’s milk cheese. “The French alternative to Jarlsberg.” Each 25-pound wheel has a rich, chestnut-like flavor that is slightly sweet. Cut into cubes for salads, or sliced in sandwiches it will add flavor to any meal. For a special treat, enjoy with apples, pears and grapes, and with fruity white or aged red wines.
Good with red and white wine.
Societe Roquefort
Blue-veined sheep’s milk cheese. The “King of the Blues”! There’s only one Roquefort – it bears its very own delimited appellation, and must be made of 100% sheep’s milk (most blue cheeses are made of cow’s milk). Societe, the world’s leading Roquefort, is especially flavorful in salads, or as a complement to meat and soufflss. Try Roquefort with a sweet French wine.
Good with red wine and white wine.

Valbreso French Feta
Sheep’s milk cheese. Made from 100% sheep’s milk from the high mountain pastures of southeast France. This Mediterranean favorite with its rich and tangy taste is ideal crumbled or cut into small cubes in Mediterranean-style salads, or with a wide variety of fresh vegetables.
Good with red and white wine.
Chevretine and Chevre de Bellay
Goat’s milk cheese. South of the Loire Valley, the Poitou region is known to cheese connoisseurs around the world as the goat cheese capital of France. Toasted or plain, diced in salads or tossed into an omelets, Chèvretine and Chèvre de Bellay bring the best of the Poitou to your table.
Good with white wine.

Here are some of our recipes of famous French food:

•  Salad Nicoise

Ingredients:

• 5 potatoes, cooked and diced
• 1/2 pound green beans, cut up and cooked
• 3 tomatoes, cut in eighths
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced onions
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 hard cooked egg, sliced
• 1 head lettuce
• 13 ounces canned solid white tuna in water, drained
• 12 pitted black olives, sliced

Directions:

Mix oil, vinegar, garlic, and seasonings. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over potatoes, green beans, and tomatoes. Marinate for one hour. Layer lettuce, vegetables and eggs. Separate tuna into small pieces, arrange on top of salad. Garnish with olives. Pour remaining dressing over salad. Toss and serve.

Note: 5 potatoes is about 3 cups.

 

•  French Onion Soup
Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 T Butter
• 1-1/2 lbs. Onions, thinly sliced (about 4 large onions)
• 1 T Brown sugar
• 1 t Paprika
• 2 T Flour
• 6 C Canned beef broth (if using cubes, granules or concentrate, use half beef and half chicken)
• 1 t Dried thyme
• 1/2 t Salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 Slices French bread, dried until crisp in a 250°F oven for 30 minutes
• 1/3 C Gruyere cheese (grated)
• 4 t Parmesan cheese (grated)

Directions:

• Heat the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onions, cover and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the brown sugar. Stir until the onions are well browned. Stir in the paprika and flour. Add the broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over gentle heat for 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into pots.
• Place on a baking sheet. Put a round of French bread in each pot. Mix the cheese and sprinkle over the surface. Place 4 inches from the broiler flame and cook for 4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Makes 4 servings.

 

•  Warm Oysters with Tomato-Shallot Vinaigrette
Huitres

The majority of French oysters are raised in the numerous oyster parcs in the coastal waters of Brittany and Normandy. As you pass through the seaside villages, signs point you to the parc, where you can buy-freshly harvested oysters of different varieties and sizes. For this dish, you must use the creuse, a deep-shelled oyster, or a similar type, rather than the flat belon variety , because the well of the shell is needed to hold the sauce. Placing the oysters on a hot bed of rock salt and baking them just long enough to open will warm them slightly but not cook them through.

Ingredients:

• Rock salt
• 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and minced
• 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) Champagne vinegar
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 dozen oysters in their shells

Preparation:

1. Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F. (260 degrees C).
2. Pour rock salt to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) in 1 large or 2 smaller baking dishes. Place in the oven to heat for 15 minutes.
3. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, vinegar, shallots, chives, pepper, and salt to form a vinaigrette. Set aside.
4. Remove the baking dish(es) from the oven and place the oysters, rounded side down, on the salt. Return to the oven and bake until the oysters open, 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool until the shells can be handled, 3-4 minutes.
5. Discard any oysters that failed to open. Using a small, sharp knife, cut through the muscle near the hinge that attaches the shells together on each oyster, being careful not to spill any juices. Discard the flat upper shells and place the lower ones on a platter or 4 individual plates.

Spoon a tablespoon of the vinaigrette onto each oyster. Serve immediately.

 

•  Foie Gras Origin

Brief History
Foie Gras or goose pat&233 has its origins, as many other good things, from the Egyptians and then the Romans…But it was as a French specialty that it conquered the discerning palates of the world. As early as the 18th century, Toulouse and Strasbourg were rivals in earning the reputation for the finest Foie Gras.

Nevertheless it is in Strasbourg in 1780, under the reign of Louis XVI, that the Foie Gras Pâté was truly presented as such to the world by J.P. Clause, gifted cook to the governor of Alsace, the Marshall of Contades.

Since then the reputation of the “Foie Gras de Strasbourg” has spread across borders throughout the world carrying the name of the capital of Alsace as a seal of quality.

This particular expertise brought to Strasbourg the title of “Capital of Foie Gras” for more than one century.

 

How to Serve Foie Gras by French Conoisseurs
Throughout the year, foie gras is prepared from goose or duck liver ( the package always specifies what kind of poultry has been used).

This preparation dates back to ancient times when geese were fed with figs.

Today, the way the poultry is selected and fed is based on better techniques. Foie gras is certainly known all over the world; however, the geese or ducks can be cooked in different ways : you can have roast goose with chestnuts for Christmas or ‘magrets’ (duck fillets) or tender-textured ‘confits’ (preserved pieces of cooked goose or duck), or you can savour goose and duck pâtés.

At French Connaisseurs , you will discover in your Perigord hamper duck foie gras traditionally produced on a small-scale basis and in line with the European standards. Ducks are fed with a type of corn especially grown for them by the person who also cans the foie gras.

These ducks are kept in the beautiful countryside of the Gers district, in a place we could almost envy them!

 

The French Connaisseurs advise:

• Foie gras must be refreshed in its jar few hours before being served, then brought out 20 minutes before sampling.
• Cut into slices at last moment to preserve colors and flavors.
• With what bread ? Avoid fanciful breads. Choose a beautiful country bread or a vienna loaf.
• To accompany your foie gras dish, you can drink mellow white wine, such as Sauternes.

 

•  Rabbit Dish – Lapin à la Moutarde

Ingredients:

• 1 rabbit, cut up, liver set aside for another use
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon superfine flour such as Wondra
• 1-1/2 cups Chicken or rabbit stock
• Several branches fresh thyme, rosemary, summer savory or tarragon
• 1 bay leaf
• Chopped parsley
• Cooked rice

Preparation:

• Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Brush one side of each piece with mustard. Heat oil and butter in a deep, non-reactive skillet and cook pieces, mustard side down, when fat is hot. Don’t crowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary (or use two pans). Brown 10 minutes. Season and coat other side with mustard. Brown another 10 minutes.
• Remove rabbit and add a few tablespoons of wine to pan. Scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add onions and cook until soft. Stir in flour and mix well. Add remaining wine, stock, thyme (or other herb) and bay leaf. Return rabbit to pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 45 minutes.

Transfer rabbit to a platter, pour sauce over and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with rice.

Serves 2-4.

•  Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• Bread Crumbs
• 1 Egg mixed with 1/2 cup Milk
• 8 oz Swiss cheese, cubed
• 8 oz ham, diced
• 1 can (10oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk

Preparation:

Dip chunks of chicken in egg and milk mixture, then into bread crumbs, coating well. Brown in a little oil until golden.

Place chunks in baking dish, add cubes of Swiss cheese and small pieces of ham. Mix cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of milk; mix well and pour over all. Bake about 30 minutes at 350° or until tender and bubbly.

•  Frog Legs with Pouilly Fuisse and Parsley

Ingredients:

• 36 pairs of frog legs, (usually available frozen in specialty food stores)
• 3 T. unbleached flour
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups chardonnay wine, preferably Pouilly Fuisse
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup crème fraihe
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley

 

Directions:

•  Thaw the frogs’ legs, if frozen, by leaving them in the refrigerator overnight. Pat them dry. Sprinkle them lightly with the flour and then season with salt and pepper.

•  Heat the butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the frogs’ legs and saute for 5 minutes. Add the wine, shallots, and garlic and simmer until the frogs’ legs are tender, 15-20 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the legs to a platter and keep warm.

•  Bring the cooking liquid in the skillet to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 7-10 minutes. Add the crème fraihe and continue boiling the mixture until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return frogs’ legs to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Adjust the seasonings, if necessary, and then stir in the parsley. Serve at once.

•  Makes 4-6 servings

•  Crêpes’ Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, preferably bleached
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon rum, Cointreau, amaretto, brandy, or other liqueur (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 2 to 3 teaspoons for coating the pan

 

Preparation:

• In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, water, flour, sugar, vanilla, optional flavoring, and the 2 tablespoons melted butter for 5 seconds, or until smooth. Stir down and repeat, if necessary. Or, to mix by hand, sift the flour into a medium bowl and add the sugar.
• Whisk the eggs until blended, mix in the milk, water, vanilla, and optional flavoring, and whisk this mixture into the flour; stir ill the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least I hour (2 hours is preferable) or up to 24 hours.
• Gently stir the batter if it has separated. Heat a seasoned 6- or 7-inch nonstick er6pe pan over medium-high heat until hot. (Use a 9- or 10-inch pan for larger crepes.)
• Wipe the pan lightly with butter, lift the pan from the heat, and pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter for a 6- or 7-inch pan, or about cup for a 9- or 10-inch pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the surface. Cook until almost (try on top and lightly browned oil the edges, about I minute. Loosen the edges with a metal spatula and flip the crepe over using your fingers or the spatula, then cook the other side for about 15 seconds, or until lightly browned.
• Turn the crêpe out onto a clean tea towel to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with butter as needed and stacking the crepes as they are cooked.
• For serving immediately, cover the (crêpes with aluminum foil and keep them warm in a preheated 200-degree-F oven. For serving later, wrap them in plastic wrap in quantities intended for each use and slip them into a self-sealing plastic bag. Refrigerate the crêpes for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.
• Makes sixteen to eighteen 6- or 7-inch crepes, or ten to twelve 9- or 10-inch crepes.

 

•  Different Crêpe Flavors

Espresso Crêpes:

Grind 2 tablespoons coffee beans to a fine powder and add to the dessert crêpe batter when blending it.

Chestnut Flour Dessert Crêpes:

Follow the dessert crêpe recipe, but replace the 1 cup all-purpose flour with 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup chestnut flour.

Chocolate Crêpes:

Follow the dessert crêpe recipe, but replace the 1 cup all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa. Replace the 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar.

•  Crème Brulée

Brief History
The origins of crème brulée (pronounced krehm broo-LAY) are very much in contention, with the English, Spanish, and French all staking claim . The Spanish have taken credit for this dessert as “crema catalana” since the eighteenth century, while the English claim it originated in seventeenth-century Britain, where it was known as “burnt cream.” It apparently wasn’t until the end of the nineteenth century that common usage of the French translation came into vogue, but its wide recognition today seems to have given the French credit for inventing crème brulee.

Regardless of its origins, this delicate, silken, and sinfully rich dessert , which blends the cool velvet of custard with a crisp, caramelized topping, is now served in fine restaurants everywhere. But it is also simple and economical to make at home. For a traditional crème brulée, you need nothing more than cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla . A few additional ingredients can transform this elegant dessert into an extraordinary culinary creation.

You can add a medley of aromatic spices, fruits, and citrus flavors, to create exciting and exotic variations on the basic theme.

 

 

 

Crème Brulée Basic Ingredients

Cream

The grocery store offers an array of creams with varying amounts of butterfat: half-&-half (10.5 percent); light cream (18 percent); whipping cream (30 percent); heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream (36 percent); and double cream (48 percent). You may also want to try manufacturer’s cream (40 percent butterfat), which is more economical and often available at warehouse grocery stores. A classic crème brulée uses heavy whipping cream, but as you add rich ingredients, such as chocolate, you may prefer to use a lighter cream for balance.

Sugar

When sugar melts, it turns to caramel which, when cool, becomes very brittle. The caramelized top is the distinguishing feature of crème brulee. Sugar comes in many forms: granulated (regular or table sugar), superfine (finely granulated), confectioners’ (also known as powdered or icing sugar), light brown or dark brown (granulated sugar combined with molasses), and raw (unrefined). I tend to use whatever is on hand; either light brown sugar, which has been pre-dried, or superfine sugar have given me excellent results.

Eggs

Always use grade A large eggs. Pay close attention to the date on the carton, and store in the refrigerator. Chilled eggs are easier to separate because the yolks are firmer. The following recipe calls for 8 yolks per 2 cups of cream. This is for a very rich, traditional crème brulée. You may choose to reduce the number of egg yolks listed in the recipe; you may prefer to use half as many yolks or even whole eggs instead. Unlike other baked desserts, custards are not all that fussy and are very forgiving.
Vanilla Beans/Vanilla Extract

Vanilla beans contain tiny seeds that add beauty and flavor. Vanilla extract is a more convenient form of vanilla; always use pure extract, not imitation. Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, an exceptionally aromatic flavoring, is available at most food specialty shops.

 

Classic Crème Brulée Recipe

A straightforward and unpretentious creation that is so simple, so rich, so praised!

• 8 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

Divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups. Place in a water bath and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards for a few minutes before serving.