Simple Recipe for Creme Brulee? Yep!

Recipe from Kayla, PopCosmo’s Teen Chef: Creme Brûlée is my dad's absolute favorite dessert, so I like to make it for him for Father's Day. For anyone who has never tried it, it is a creamy vanilla custard baked in individual ramekins and topped with crunchy caramelized sugar. Ideally, the texture of the custard is somewhat gelatinous and springy (but not as firm as jello) and is topped with a thin, crispy sugar shell. To achieve this caramel layer, most restaurants use a kitchen torch, but most people don't have one. I found that placing them on a rack as close to a broiler as possible caramelizes the sugar without ruining the dish. I also use coarse, dark turbinado sugar instead of regular sugar to speed up the process. As for the custard, the recipe calls for vanilla extract, but you can use the seeds from half of a vanilla bean to make it even more special. I like this recipe specifically because it only makes two. However, if you need to make more, simply double, triple, or quadruple the recipe. This dessert is elegant and surprisingly simple; it is sure to be amazing!

Creme Brûlée Makes 2, Recipe Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 Cup Cream 2 T Sugar Pinch Salt 3 Egg Yolks 1/2 tsp Vanilla 1 T Turbinado Sugar Berries, Whipped Cream, etc. for Garnish, Optional

Heat oven to 300 degrees F and adjust rack to lower-middle position. Place a towel in a deep baking dish and put two ramekins on top.

Combine 1/2 cup cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring often. Stir in the remaining cream once cooled slightly. Combine the egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 cup cream mixture. Whisk in the remaining cream.

Strain the custard into the ramekins to remove any bits of cooked egg. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come two-thirds of the way up the ramekins.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until barely set in the center. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic and chill for at least four hours or until cold.

Wipe off any condensation and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Brown with a kitchen torch or broiler until caramelized, then top with berries, whipped cream, etc. if desired.

Serve!

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!

Recipes for Zucchini Ricotta Crostada

When Zucchini starts growing, everyone is looking for exciting new recipes for zucchini and our Teen Chef, Kayla has a wonderful recipe to share, a Zucchini Ricotta Crostada Recipe: This is the perfect appetizer for your Memorial Day celebration!? A crostada is basically a free-form pie, and this one can be served hot or cold.? It is full of fresh, bright flavors and a variety of textures. There is the crisp, flaky crust, the creamy ricotta cheese, and the succulent zucchini. ? You can add some more spices or herbs to the ricotta if you want to boost the flavor, but it tastes delicious as is! I use sour cream in the crust to keep it moist and slightly tangy. This recipe is simple, rustic, and delicious!

Zucchini Ricotta Crostada, Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/4 Cups Flour

3/4 tsp Salt

1 Stick Butter, chilled

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 lb Zucchini, sliced in 1/4" thick rounds

1 T + 1 tsp Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup Ricotta

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

1 Egg Yolk

• Combine the flour and 1/4 tsp salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in the butter. Combine the sour cream, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water. Add to the dough and chill for an hour.
• Spread the zucchini on a few layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and let sit for 30 minutes, blotting occasionally.
• Combine the oil and garlic. Combine the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 tsp garlic oil.
• Heat oven to 400F. Line a cookie tray with parchment.
• Roll the dough to a 12" round. Transfer to the parchment. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough, leavening a 2" border. Shingle the zucchini on top of the cheese and drizzle with the remaining garlic oil. Fold the edges of the dough over to cover part of the zucchini.
• Combine the egg yolk with 1 tsp water. Brush over the edges of the crust and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the zucchini is wilted.

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog,? The Nerdy Chef!

Sticky Buns Recipe

Recipe from Kayla, PopCosmo’s Teen Chef: This Sticky Buns Recipe will make your house smell SO good. Waves of fragrant cinnamon, sweet caramel, and toasty pecans fill the kitchen, and the scent makes this delectable breakfast taste even better! First of all, it's important to distinguish between cinnamon buns and sticky buns. Sure, cinnamon buns are delicious, but this sticky buns recipe is so much better when you bake them in gooey caramel and drown them in liquid pecan praline. I make them in individual muffin cups instead of cramming the buns into one tin because each one has some crunchiness, and you don't have to worry about unrolling them when you pull them apart. These are perfect for Mother's Day brunch because you don't have to get up really early in the morning to cook an elaborate breakfast; you can do everything the night before, stick them in the refrigerator after the second rise, and bake them in the morning. It'll be one of the best Mother's Day presents your mom will ever get!

Sticky Buns Makes 12, recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

3 Eggs 3/4 Cup Buttermilk 1/4 Cup Sugar 1 1/4 tsp + Pinch Salt 2 1/4 tsp Yeast 4 1/4 Cups Flour 6 T Butter, melted but cool 9 T Butter 3 T Butter, melted 2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1 3/4 Cups Light Brown Sugar 6 T Corn Syrup 2 T Heavy Cream 1 tsp Vanilla 3/4 Cup Chopped Pecans, toasted In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk eggs to combine. Add buttermilk. Whisk in sugar, salt, and yeast. Add two cups of flour and 6 T melted butter. Beat until just combined, then add in remaining flour. Knead with dough hook for five minutes. Knead by hand for one minute.

Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, combine 6 T butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3 T corn syrup, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbling, then pour into a greased muffin tin.

Combine 3/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll the dough into a 16"x12" rectangle. Brush the dough with the 3 T melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Roll into a cylinder and cut into 12 buns.

Place the buns into the cups. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 2-3 hours.

Heat oven to 350F and adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Bake the buns for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the pecans. Combine 3 T butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 T corn syrup, and a pinch of salt in a medium skillet. Cook until bubbling and butter is melted. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla and pecans.

When the buns are finished cooking, invert onto a rimmed cookie tray. Place a spoonful of pecan topping onto each bun, and serve!

For more delicious recipes by our Teen Chef, Kayla, check out her blog, The Nerdy Chef!