Crab Brulee Recipe
Crab Brulee is a unique savory twist on the classic crème brûlée, combining rich, creamy crab meat with a crispy caramelized topping. This easy-to-follow recipe offers a luxurious, savory seafood dish that's perfect for impressing guests.
Equipment
- Oven for baking
- Mixing bowl for whisking the egg yolks
- Saucepan for simmering the cream mixture
- Ramekins for baking the crab brulee
- Baking tray for the water bath
- Strainer to ensure smooth custard
- Kitchen torch for caramelizing the sugar
- Cling film to cover ramekins while chilling
Ingredients
- Crab Meat
- 1 cup 168 g of fresh crab meat
- 1.5 cups of Dungeness crab meat about 1 whole crab
- Egg Yolks
- 5 large egg yolks
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 large whole egg
- Cream
- 2 cups 476 g of heavy cream
- 400 mL of single cream
- Seasoning
- ½ tsp 3 g salt
- ¼ tsp of black pepper
- white pepper
- ⅛ tsp of nutmeg
- Caramelized Sugar Layer
- 2 tbsp 24 g of sugar
- Herbs
- Chopped herbs like parsley and chives
- Custard Mixture
- 3 cups of heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- Caramelized Sugar Crust
- 1.5 teaspoons of salt
- 3.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Additional Flavors
- ½ tbsp of pickled ginger finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC (320ºF).
- Place ramekins in a baking dish.
- Prepare Custard
- Simmer heavy cream, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest.
- Whisk egg yolks and slowly pour in custard cream mixture.
- Strain to ensure a smooth texture.
- Fill Ramekins
- Add fresh crab meat (like Dungeness crab) to ramekins.
- Top with parsley, chives, or cilantro.
- Pour custard mixture, filling three-quarters.
- Bake
- Add hot water to baking tray around ramekins.
- Bake at 300°F for 35-45 minutes.
- Cool and Refrigerate
- Cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Caramelize
- Sprinkle granulated sugar and torch until golden and crispy.
- Final Touch
- Top with leftover crab meat and grated parmesan.
- Serve with toasted bread or crackers and a white wine or light beer.
- Store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Notes
- The crab brulee can be made with different types of crab meat, such as snow crab or imitation crab, offering flexibility.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can broil the sugar in the oven for a crispy finish.
- Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition Value (Approximate per serving):
- Calories: 400-500
- Fat: 30-40g
- Protein: 15-20g
- Carbohydrates: 10-15g
- Sugar: 8-10g