Dietitian makes Eggnog Crème Brûlée: What happens When we Use Less or More Sugar?
Plus… My Holiday Menu Revealed!
Blog sponsored by The Canadian Sugar Institute
Written by RD, Elis Halenko
As the holiday season is approaching, you may be experiencing mixed emotions about planning a holiday themed menu. Coming from a strong European influence, we tend to make a lot of food over the holidays and I mean a LOT of food; besides spending ample quality time together, the takeout containers filled with leftovers eliminating the need for anyone to have to cook the next day is one of the big draws to host these family dinners.
This year I am excited to say my kitchen will act as a hub for one of these festive dinners. While there will be a lot of food, my menu is fairly simple and easy to make. If you want to use this sample holiday menu below, I’ve included instructions of what to make when so you can maximize your time and experience less pressure on the day of!
Sample Christmas Dinner Menu by a Registered Dietitian:
My Holiday Season Starters:
Caramelized onion & cheese dip with crostini : make the dip the day of, 1-2 hours ahead of time, crostini, have ready on a tray ready to go in the oven when guests arrive, serve warm.
Butternut squash soup: make anytime before, freeze and thaw in the fridge the night before and place in a pot to simmer on low 30 minutes before guests arrive.
My Christmas Dinner Entree:
Half Baked Harvest’s Red Wine Braised Pot Roast with loads of carrots : make the morning of or 4-5 hours before guests arrive.
My Holiday Dinner Side Dishes:
Green beans with roasted garlic: make the day of 10 minutes before guests arrive or once they arrive.
Rustic Mixed Green Salad with Honey, Apple Cider and Mustard Seed Dressing : make the dressing the day before and the salad on the day of 1-2 hours before.
Festive Holiday Dessert:
The crowning jewel of my dinner will be……
Eggnog Crème Brûlée (see recipe below!), paired with a seasonal fruit platter. I recommend you make the eggnog crème brûlée the day before minus the sugar topping, and make the fruit platter the morning of and place it in the fridge, covered.
Crème Brûlée - Is it hard to make?
One of my favorite desserts that I have for a long time been too intimidated to make is custard - and not just any custard - crème brûlée has been my favorite dessert for as long as I can remember. While this holiday version might seem pulled from the pages of a gourmet magazine, you’ll be surprised to learn it consists of only four simple ingredients and doesn’t even require a chef’s torch (although you can use one if you want as it does add an element of fun when you have guests!). This was my first time making it and it turned out perfectly!
With all the delicious desserts and sweet recipes available to you this holiday season, you may be interested to learn about the impact of sugar in this recipe. So I am excited to talk about the role of sugar and the impact of adding less or more in this recipe.
The Role of Sugar in Eggnog Crème Brûlée:
Sugar isn’t just about sweetening; it plays a crucial role in the food science in our eggnog crème brûlée. When we reduce or increase sugar in this recipe, it can significantly alter the texture and even color. In the case of our crème brûlée, sugar influences the setting point and the delightful caramelized top that makes this dessert so iconic.
If we reduce sugar too much, we risk a firmer, less smooth custard because the proteins bond tightly too fast without enough water. On the flip side, too much sugar could make the custard too soft or even prevent it from setting correctly.
Yet, the magic of this recipe truly happens during the caramelization process. The sugar sprinkled on top of the custard undergoes what is known as the Maillard reaction when exposed to the heat of a broiler (no torch required!). This reaction, which also browns our meats and toasts our bread, creates a rich, complex flavor and that gorgeous, shatteringly crisp top layer that goes- SNAP!
The amount of sugar we decide to caramelize on top directly impacts the intensity of this flavor and the texture of the brûlée.
In my opinion 1 tsp per standard 3.5 inch ramekin is the perfect amount. Don’t forget that the eggnog in this recipe is also a source of sugar, adding extra sweetness.
Now, onto making this recipe, as mentioned, it only requires 4 ingredients: eggnog, eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese (mmm cheese… ). The eggnog incorporates those cozy holiday spices and a depth of flavor that makes this version particularly special.
The Perfect Eggnog Crème Brûlée Recipe - No Torch Needed!
Makes 6 custards
Ingredients:
2 cups of eggnog (p.s I have not tried this with dairy free eggnog)
4 egg yolks
¼ cup of white sugar + 6 tsp for caramelized topping
3 ounces of mascarpone cheese
Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place 6 ramekins into a shallow baking dish, adding enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
In a small pot, heat eggnog over medium heat; cook and stir occasionally until simmers, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and well combined. You can use a hand whisk or an electric version. Stir in mascarpone until well blended and smooth; whisk in 1/4 cup heated eggnog and then gradually whisk in remaining eggnog.
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh-sieve to remove any egg bits. Divide evenly into the 6 ramekins.
Bake in the preheated oven until custard is set, I found this took 25 minutes, but you may want to check every 5 minutes after the 20 minute mark. Custard centers should wiggle slightly when shaken, but not be soupy. We will already be serving butternut squash soup anyhow.
Remove from the oven and cool 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (or overnight) before adding the caramelized sugar topping.
To make the caramelized sugar topping, dab to remove any condensation, then place 1 tsp of sugar on top and swirl around to coat the top evenly. Set the oven to broil on high and place the custards on a baking tray, in the oven with the light on until the sugar starts bubbling and turns a rich brown in colour, this took about 4 minutes for me! Remove from the oven and baking tray immediately and serve!
If you want to caramelize the creme brulees using a torch, after coating the tops with 1 tsp of white sugar, you would turn on your torch and at a distance of about 4-5 inches away from sugar topping and move torch in a side to side motion until the sugar starts to turn golden. Serve immediately for the best snap factor.
Where to buy a torch? I bought mine at Canadian Tire (not an ad) but you can also find one on Amazon or Kitchen Stuff Plus.
As a dietitian, I want to emphasize balance during the holidays. While sugar plays its role in many festive recipes, it’s always a good idea to add variety to our plates and eat mindfully.
As a mom, I find this recipe wonderfully straightforward, 4 ingredients plus a mini science lesson? I’m into it.
Happy holidays everyone! Now, who’s making Eggnog Crème Brûlée?!
Watch the recipe reel here!