Gorgonzola and Leek Crème Brûlée

Preparation Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale in color. Whisk in the cream and half-and-half. Mix in the leeks, onions, Gorgonzola, dill or tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place six standard-size flan dishes in a baking pan. Divide the custard mixture among the dishes. Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of each custard still jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and lift the dishes from the hot water. Place the dishes on a baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle 4 teaspoons grated cheese or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar over each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, brown the cheese or caramelize the sugar (see note below). Serve hot. Oven-Dried Brown Sugar:Due to the moisture content of brown sugar, it recommended to dry it before caramelizing. Spread light or dark brown sugar out on a baking sheet in a 1/8-inch layer and bake in a preheated 275°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned a shade darker. Let cool, place in a small resealable plastic bag, and crush it thoroughly with a rolling pin or flat metal mallet to make fine crystals. Brown sugar treated in this manner has an excellent flavor when caramelized. From Crème Brûlée by Lou Seibert Pappas. Text copyright © 2005 by Lou Seibert Pappas; photographs copyright © 2005 by Alison Miksch. The Chronicle Books LLC edition published in 2009. Reprinted with permission by Chronicle Books.

Preparation Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale in color. Whisk in the cream and half-and-half. Mix in the leeks, onions, Gorgonzola, dill or tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place six standard-size flan dishes in a baking pan. Divide the custard mixture among the dishes. Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of each custard still jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and lift the dishes from the hot water. Place the dishes on a baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle 4 teaspoons grated cheese or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar over each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, brown the cheese or caramelize the sugar (see note below). Serve hot. Oven-Dried Brown Sugar:Due to the moisture content of brown sugar, it recommended to dry it before caramelizing. Spread light or dark brown sugar out on a baking sheet in a 1/8-inch layer and bake in a preheated 275°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned a shade darker. Let cool, place in a small resealable plastic bag, and crush it thoroughly with a rolling pin or flat metal mallet to make fine crystals. Brown sugar treated in this manner has an excellent flavor when caramelized. From Crème Brûlée by Lou Seibert Pappas. Text copyright © 2005 by Lou Seibert Pappas; photographs copyright © 2005 by Alison Miksch. The Chronicle Books LLC edition published in 2009. Reprinted with permission by Chronicle Books.