Is it breakfast or is it dessert? Does it matter? This creamy custard is both smoky and sweet. Think of all the best parts of French toast, plus bacon.
Level: | Easy |
Total: | 4 hr 20 min |
Active: | 30 min |
Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the foil
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- Six 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil shiny-side up and spray with cooking spray.
- Put the bacon on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Pour off the fat and reserve; you should have about 1/4 cup. Sprinkle the bacon with the brown sugar and toss to coat with tongs. Continue to bake, flipping the slices every 5 minutes, until the bacon is very dark brown, about 25 minutes more. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. If the bacon sticks to the foil, put back in the oven for 3 minutes to warm and melt the sugar slightly (this will release it from the foil). Leave the oven on.
- Meanwhile, using the top of a 1 1/2-cup ramekin, cut out 6 brioche rounds, one from each slice. Press a piece of bread into the bottom of each of six 1 1/2-cup ramekins, making sure the bread fits in snugly and will not float to the top when the custard is poured over. Put the ramekins in a roasting pan and set aside.
- Combine the heavy cream, vanilla pod and seeds and reserved bacon fat in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod.
- Whisk the maple syrup and yolks in a large bowl. Add the cream mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly. Pour the liquid over the brioche pieces in the ramekins. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake the creme brulees until set but still trembling a little bit in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then remove from the water bath. Refrigerate the ramekins for 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- To serve: sprinkle the top of each creme brulee with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Using a kitchen blowtorch, melt the sugar, swirling the ramekins as needed to make sure it’s evenly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve each ramekin with 2 slices of bacon.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
Calories | 1148 |
Total Fat | 92 g |
Saturated Fat | 47 g |
Carbohydrates | 65 g |
Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
Sugar | 44 g |
Protein | 17 g |
Cholesterol | 461 mg |
Sodium | 614 mg |