Apple Brandy, Apple Creme
By Chef Carol Frazzetta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Macintosh Apples
1/2 cup sugar or to taste
Cinnamon to taste
Freshly ground nutmeg to taste
About a 1/4 cup apple brandy
Optional: Orange or Lemon zest to taste

Peel apples and remove core. Cut apples into 3/4 inch squares. Sprinkle apples with sugar to taste, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg
Melt butter in a cast iron pan or heavy skillet and when hot add apples. Cook just until apples are barely ender and flame with brandy.
Taste for seasoning and make adjustments if necessary.
Spread apples out on a cookie sheet and place in freezer, until just cool.
Make Creme Brûlée custard, adding, 2 tablespoons Apple Calvados Brandy to mixture. Taste for seasoning.
Sprinkle apples into 10 individual Creme Brûlée Cups and pour custard over apples.
Place cloth towels on two 18 inch cookie sheets. Place Creme brûlée cups on towels and place in a preheated 325 degree oven. Pour water halfway
up the sides of cups and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Insert a small metal spatula into custard. It should come out clean and shiny. Carefully remove
cups with a large metal spatula and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating.

Creme Brûlée
6 to 8 portions
4 cups heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Adjust rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degree
In the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat, or in a heavy saucepan over low heat, scald the cream, with the vanilla bean, if using, uncovered, until it forms a thin, wrinkled skin on top or tiny bubbles around the edge.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir the egg yolks briefly with a fork or a wire whisk just to mix.
When the creams scalded, add the sugar to it and stir to dissolve. Very gradually, just a spoonful at a time at first and then in a slow stream, stir the hot cream into the yolks. Do not beat the mixture and it should not be foamy. Mix in the vanilla if not using a bean. Strain and reserve. Taste for
seasoning and adjust if necessary.
The custard should be baked in a wide, shallow, ovenproof casserole with a 6-cup capacity of 10 individual Creme Brûlée cups. An 11-inch Pyrex pie plate about 1 inch deep is very successful. Pour the custard into the casserole, or individual cups. Place it into a large, shallow baking pan. Pour hot water into the baking pan to half-way up the sides of the custard plate or individual cups. Bake for about 30 minutes in the pie plate, or longer if the custard is deeper, until a small sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from hot water and place on a rack. If the custard was baked in a shallow pie plate it might be difficult to remove from the hot water. If so, use a bulb baster to remove most of the hot water first.)
Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
Use a scant 3/4 cup of light brown sugar for a 12-inch pie plate; less for one smaller diameter. With your fingertips force the sugar through a strainer held over the custard to make a very even layer about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. There should not be thinner spots or thin edges – they will burn. Also the sugar should not be too thick or the caramel will be coarse instead of delicate. Cover the sugar with a large piece of wax paper and, with your fingertips and the palm of your hand, pat to make a smooth, compact layer. Remove was paper. Wipe the rim of the plate clean.
Preheat the broiler for a few minutes, then place the custard about 8 inches below the heat. Leave the door open slightly so that you can watch it.
Do not take your eyes off the sugar. Broil until the sugar is completely melted. It will take only a few minutes.
If a few spots start to burn, cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil. When completely melted remove from broiler immediately. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate from, 1 to 6 hours.
Cooled any longer than this, the caramel will start to melt; although it will not be as crisp, it is still delicious. Many people prefer it after standing about 12 hours when the caramel has partially melted.
Creme Brûlée is best very cold. It should be placed in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving on well-chilled plates. At the table, tap the caramel with the edge of a serving spoon to crack it.

Bon Apetit!
Chef Carol