 I am having trouble adjusting to the Aga oven temperatures and making a good crème brûlée, which I used to bake at 300 degrees in a traditional oven. How do I best create the same results?
The easy way to think of Aga temperatures and the ease of cooking with an Aga is found in the maxim: "You don't set the heat with an Aga – you find it."
It’s all a question of positioning food at the correct level in the most appropriate oven to obtain comparable cooking results. For a crème brûlée: make using your favourite recipe, then place the ramekins or single large container in an Aga roasting tin and pour boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Carefully slide onto the lowest set of runners in the roasting oven and slide a cold plain shelf onto the second set of runners down.
Cook for 10-15 minutes if using ramekins, or 20-25 minutes if making a larger single crème brûlée, as the larger dense quantity of custard will need the extra time to get to the necessary temperature.
Then carefully transfer the whole assembly to the centre of the simmering oven and continue to cook here for 30-40 minutes until set but with a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the oven and water bath and allow to cool for 30 minutes before covering and refrigerating.
To make the caramel, follow the method given below:
Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
½ oz (15g) soft butter
6 egg yolks
175g (6oz) caster sugar
900ml (1½ pints) single or double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the caramel
6 tbsp water
175g (6oz) caster sugar
Method
Prepare a 18 x 4 cm (7 x 1½ inch) circular shallow ovenproof dish by rubbing the butter around the sides. Add the cold fruit compote to the base, if using. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until very smooth and pale.
Rinse out a heavy-based pan with cold water and then add the cream and bring to scalding point on the boiling plate. Pour over the egg mixture whisking all the time. Pass the mixture through a sieve into the dish and place in a half sized Aga roasting tin. Pour boiling water around the dish coming halfway up the side of the dish. If the tin is a plain aluminium one, add a slice of lemon to the water to prevent discolouring the tin.
Cook on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven for 20-25 minutes, until starting to set. Carefully transfer the whole assembly to the simmering oven for 30-30 minutes or until set with a slight wobble in the centre. It will set firmer once it’s chilled. Remove the dish and leave in a cool place for 45 minutes before covering and refrigerating.
To make the caramel place the water and sugar into a heavy based pan and leave on the simmering plate until the sugar dissolves. When this has happened transfer to the boiling plate and boil hard until the mixture starts to resemble the colour of runny honey. Be brave. Leave to cool for a few seconds, but not too long or the mixture will overcook and get too dark and become bitter. Pour slowly and carefully over the custard. Allow to set in the refrigerator and serve the same day.
Note: do not attempt the caramel unless you have a really heavy-based pan, such as one from the Aga range. Also take care not to splash the caramel, as it’s very hot. To clean the cooled pan, boil up some water to make cleaning up a snap. |
