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02/07/2018 11:01 PMWe never went out on Valentine’s Day.
Early in our marriage, Valentine’s Day was often on a weekday. We both worked full-time. We weren’t flush with money.
It was lovely to receive a dozen roses sent to my office on Valentine’s Day, but I was in charge of paying our bills for most of our marriage, and the next month, when I saw the charge on American Express, I said, “Baby, roses are four times higher on Valentine’s Day. Please don’t do this again.”
But, he did.
These days, restaurants see Valentine’s Day as a way to recoup financially after a long and dismal January. They advertise a four-day Valentine’s Day weekend, adding Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and even Mondays.
But we preferred to cook at home to celebrate: often steak, potatoes gratin, green beans with almonds, a salad with blue cheese dressing, and crème brulee or chocolate pots du crème.
The two desserts are so easy to make and will keep in the refrigerator for quite a few days. And all you need are pretty ramekins or even Pyrex custard cups. And both are terrific desserts for a dinner party, or for anyone you love. Below is the recipe for crème brulee. If you would like the recipe for pots du crème, email me at leeawhite@aol.com.
If you don’t have a blowtorch, you can buy little ones at any good kitchen supply store, inluding Perfect Pear in Chester, and at some hardware stores, including Page’s Hardware in Guilford. Call first to make sure they have them in stock. You can also put the ramekins under a broiler until the sugar caramelizes, but this makes the crème warm, which isn’t nearly as yummy as cold crème and hot crackling sugar. You can also get your own personal blowtorch with a squat propane tank so it sits nicely on your kitchen counter. My husband got me my very own blowtorch years ago and it occupies a hallowed place in my kitchen.
Crème Brulee
From The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking (Scribner, New York, 1997)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
2 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks (freeze whites for another use)
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla
Heat cream to almost a simmer. In a medium bowl, stir with wooden spoon until just blended the egg yolks and sugar. Gradually stir in cream. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or something with a pouring lip. Stir in vanilla.
Pour evenly into 6 to 8, 4- to 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins and place in a water bath. (I do this by placing the cups in a pan large enough to hold all of them, carefully pouring water so the water level comes just about halfway up the cups.) Carefully place pan in the oven, set oven temperature to 250 degrees, and cook until custards are set but still quivery in the center, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Remove from water bath and let cool completely on a rack. Once cool, cover each tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to torch. (I have kept these for up to a week in the refrigerator.) Just before serving, remove plastic wrap, blot surface of each if necessary, sprinkle surface with sugar, and torch.