Cambridge Cream
How to make burnt cream….
I was minded to write this post following a recent visit to Cambridge and my good friend who has just opened what is sure to become a destination restaurant and a favourite amongst the University hierachy. Looking over his new menu I noticed a dessert I hadn’t seen for many years, Cambridge Cream. I say I haven’t seen it but rather haven’t seen it described that way for as many recipes there are for this dessert there are as many names.
Some of you will recognise this as the better known Creme Brulee but for me and my English patriotism I prefer Cambridge Cream or, if I get bored of that then perhaps Burnt Cream or how about Trinity Burnt Cream named after the Trinity College in Cambridge? Whichever description you prefer to choose there is no doubting its quality as a simple cream dessert which, when cooked properly is about as good as it gets.
Here we have an example of how England and France have influenced each other in food history. Despite France’s enviable reputation in gastronomic terms and their undoubted reluctance to admit to influences from outside their own land there can be little doubt that the two countries shared many things during and after the Norman Conquest. These influences become apparent much later when the first known account of this dessert emerged in the 1700s with the return of King Charles the Second following his exile in Versailles. The dish was quite similar although the use of eggs and cream in desserts was not uncommon in those times. Fast forward to the 1860s when an undergraduate at Cambridge volunteered the recipe to the college kitchens after coming across it in a country house in Aberdeenshire.
The classic cooking dish for this is a round, fairly shallow heat proof dish called a ramekin. The French traditionally serve them in these as well although modern day chefs often go for taller, narrower molds for a change in presentation.
Recipe for Cambridge/Trinity Burnt Cream
8 Egg Yolks
75g Caster Sugar
600ml Double Cream
Bring the cream to the boil and simmer until slightly reduced. Take one tablespoon of the caster sugar and beat with the egg yolks. Pour the cream over the egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Put the mix back into the pan, lower the heat and cook very gently. The cream musn’t boil so stir continually until it thickens and the sauce coats the back of your spoon. Pour into yoour chosen ramekins and leave to cool. Once cool place in the refrigerator overnight and leave to set.
Remove from the fridge twenty minutes before serving. Sprinkle the tops with the caster sugar and caramelise, ideally with a blow torch or under a grill if your grill is hot enough.
What a very informative post, Miles. Until now I had not a clue as to the origins of Creme Brulee, although I’ve tasted it many times, courtesy of a sister-in-law with a penchant for pudding.
January 8, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Gosh, Miles, I’m just now soaking pinto beans to make my American version of pork and beans and you’re off on creme brulee. I agree, Cambridge Cream sounds more exotic, at least to those of us in Golden, Colorado. Mexican flan is the southwest version of this dessert. Good stuff.
I like the fact that you go light on the sugar, although it is early in the morning here and I’m not a whiz at metric conversions, so I could be wrong. It seems most American recipes for this call for massive amounts of sugar, which I’m not fond of.
I’ve never heard of caster sugar and I don’t have much in the way of sugar in my cupboard. I do have some turbinado sugar and some leftover heavy cream from the holidays, so I might give this a try. No blow torches though. Guess I’ll have to use my broil setting.
But first — the beans.
January 8, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Xenny,
Thanks for that, additional flavours can be added, ginger and lime is a bit of a favourite of mine.
Miles
January 8, 2009 @ 4:11 pm
Melissa,
Keep up! We’ll be on the coffee and petit fours next
Caster sugar is also known as ’superfine’ sugar, it is made of very small crystals and is ideal for sweet preperations.
Miles
January 8, 2009 @ 4:14 pm