Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee

Beautifully-festive, wonderfully-delicious, and holiday-inspired, Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee is a perfect extra-special dessert for the Christmas season. And its creamy custard and signature crackle-sugar top are much easier to make than you think.

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I was first introduced to classic Creme Brulee back in my working-in-corporate-America days, where I participated in more than my fair share of marathon business dinners. While I certainly enjoyed the fabulous food and the experience of dining in fantastic restaurants that I would have never dined in on my own accord, I didn't always enjoy making small talk and sitting in dining chairs for hours-on-end.

Besides the seemingly endless wine pours, do you want to know what got me through many of those marathon dinners? Knowing that I was going to get to enjoy my all-time favorite for dessert -- creme brulee.

The promise of ordering that silky smooth custard waiting just below that crackly brulee'd sugar crust made the hours of chit-chat and schmoozing all worthwhile. Or at least made them seem a little less cumbersome, anyway.

White chocolate and peppermint combine beautifully to deliver up fabulous flavor in every creamy bite.

Creme brulee is a truly versatile dessert, providing a perfect canvas for different flavor variations. -- Like with this peppermint-white chocolate version. For a special Christmas treat, we use melted white chocolate, a touch of peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes to whip up this holiday-inspired Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee.

Sometimes peppermint can be too overwhelming of a flavor, so we did initially wonder if peppermint would be too strong and off-putting in this delicate creamy custard. -- But it is not. Not if you're careful with the amount of peppermint and don't go overboard with it. A small touch of peppermint in creme brulee is indeed very tasty!

We use just 1/8th teaspoon peppermint extract in the custard itself to keep the flavor mild, and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the still-warm bruleed sugar topping for added peppermint and a festive touch.

The result? -- A beautifully-festive, wonderfully-delicious holiday-inspired Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee just perfect for the Christmas season.  And I must say, this peppermint version would have been the perfect reward to get me through those marathon business dinners, too.

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• A Christmas version of the classic - Peppermint extract in the creme brulee custard itself and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes on top give a wonderful festive touch to this Christmas-inspired version of classic creme brulee.
• Fabulous flavor - White chocolate and peppermint combine beautifully to deliver up fabulous flavor in every creamy bite.
• Creamy custard - The hallmark of creme brulee is its silky smooth, creamy custard! And this one's super creamy, indeed.
• Crackly top - Who doesn't just adore creme brulee's signature crackly-sugar top?
• A special, yet pretty easy, holiday dessert - Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee is certainly one delicious extra-special dessert worthy of the holiday table. And believe it or not, it's actually pretty easy to make!

Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee Ingredients:

Despite creme brulee being regarded as a "fancy" dessert, it's actually made with pretty simple ingredients. To whip up Christmas-inspired Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee, you'll need:

• Butter - A touch of butter is used to grease the ramekins in which the creme brulee is baked, making it easier to scoop out every last bite of the creamy deliciousness.

• Egg yolks - Yolks form the base of the creme brulee custard, creating its silky, creamy texture. The eggs' whites are not used in this recipe at all, so discard them or save them for another use.

• Whipping cream - Combines with the egg yolks to create the foundation of the creme brulee custard. The fat content of whipping cream is needed to create creme brulee's characteristic creamy texture, so do not substitute a different dairy product.

• White chocolate - Flavors the white chocolate creme brulee. Choose a good-quality white chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Lindt, for the best flavor and result. Baker's brand white chocolate works just fine, as well.

• Vanilla extract - Flavors the custard, as well. Choose pure vanilla extract, rather than imitation, for the best result.

• Peppermint extract - A small touch of peppermint extract brings the peppermint element to the creme brulee custard.

• Granulated sugar - Sweetens the creme brulee custard, as well as forms the creme brulee's signature crackly top.

• Candy canes - A sprinkling of crushed candy canes on top of the bruleed sugar topping brings added peppermint flavor and a beautiful festive touch. 

How to Make Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee:

Making creme brulee is way easier than most people think. It's one "fancy" dessert that's actually pretty easy.

To get Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee going, start by generously buttering the insides of 6 individual ramekins.

Then line the bottom of a 9x13" glass baking dish with a paper towel and place the ramekins on top of the paper towel. The paper towel keeps the ramekins from sliding around in the baking dish once the water bath (that's needed to gently bake the creme brulee) is added.
 

Chop some white chocolate into fairly uniform-sized pieces -- which helps it melt more easily. 

Then place the chopped white chocolate in a double boiler (or heatproof bowl set over simmering water), and stir it constantly until it's fully melted and smooth. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and set it aside while you prepare the rest of the custard mixture.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the recipe's egg yolks until they're slightly thickened. Add granulated sugar and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is pale-ish yellow. 

Add in whipping cream, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and the melted white chocolate, whisking until everything is well blended.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 prepared ramekins. Then set the baking dish with the filled ramekins in the oven and create a water bath by carefully pouring warm water (hot from the faucet) into the pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.

The water bath is a necessary component for baking the creme brulee slowly and gently to create its creamy texture, so do not skip it. Without the water bath insulating the ramekins, the creme brulee custard cooks too quickly and either curdles or becomes too firm, rather than creamy. 

Bake the creme brulee uncovered until the custard is set around the edges but still just barely jiggly in the center, which takes just about an hour. Keep in mind that deeper ramekins may require a longer baking time.

Once the creme brulee is baked and chilled, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar over the top of each custard to create the base for the crackly-sugar topping. 

Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar. (Or, if you don't have a kitchen torch, melt the brulee sugar topping under the broiler. Watch the creme brulees closely, and move the ramekins around under the broiler heat, as needed, to evenly brulee the tops.)

Immediately sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the melted sugar. Then rechill the custards for just a few minutes before serving, and you're good to go with enjoying the creme brulee deliciousness.

 

Beautifully-festive and wonderfully-delicious, this holiday-inspired Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee is a perfect extra-special dessert for the Christmas season. It delivers up fabulous white chocolate-peppermint flavor in every creamy bite.

Check out these other fun Christmas treats:

• Christmas White Chocolate-Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
• Christmas White Chocolate-Dipped Sugar Wafers
• White Chocolate-Peppermint Popcorn
• White Chocolate-Peppermint Potato Chips
• Christmas White Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
• Easy Peppermint Fluff Dip
• Easy White Chocolate-Peppermint Pretzel Bark
• Instant Eggnog Pudding
• Eggnog Whipped Cream
• White Chocolate Creme Brulee
• More dessert recipes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

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Desserts

Christmas

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee

Beautifully-festive, wonderfully-delicious, and holiday-inspired, Peppermint-White Chocolate Creme Brulee is a perfect extra-special dessert for the Christmas season. And its creamy custard and signature crackle-sugar top are much easier to make than you think.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 55 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 3 H & 15 M

Ingredients

• 1 T. butter, softened
• 8 oz. good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 T. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 c. whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
• additional granulated sugar for tops
• 3 to 4 T. crushed candy canes for tops
• fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275℉. Generously butter the inside of 6 ramekins with softened butter. Line the bottom of a 9x13" glass baking dish with a paper towel. Place ramekins on top of the paper towel ~ this keeps the ramekins from sliding around in the baking dish.
2. Place chopped white chocolate in a double boiler (or heatproof bowl set over simmering water); stir constantly until melted. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks until slightly thickened. Add sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is pale-ish yellow. Add whipping cream, vanilla, and peppermint extract; whisk until well blended. Add melted white chocolate; whisk until well blended.
4. Divide mixture evenly between the 6 prepared ramekins.
5. Set baking dish with filled ramekins in the oven and create a water bath by carefully pouring warm water (hot from the faucet) into the pan until it reaches halfway up ramekins.
6. Bake uncovered until custard is set around the edges but still just barely jiggly in the center, about 50 to 55 minutes. (Deeper ramekins may require a longer baking time.)
7. Remove baking pan from oven and leave ramekins in water bath until cooled. Once cooled, remove ramekins from water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days).
8. When ready to serve, sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar over the top of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar. Immediately sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the melted sugar.
9. Rechill custards for just a few minutes before serving. Serve with fresh raspberries, if desired.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. Don't do the brulee sugar topping much more than about 45 minutes before serving as it begins to deteriorate fairly quickly.
2. If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can melt the brulee sugar topping under the broiler. Watch the creme brulees closely, and move the ramekins around under the broiler heat, as needed, to evenly brulee the tops. But a kitchen is torch is much easier and does a much better job!
3. Choose a good-quality white chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Lindt, for the best flavor and result. Baker's brand white chocolate works just fine, as well.
4. The water bath is a necessary component for baking the creme brulee slowly and gently to create its creamy texture, so do not skip it. Without the water bath insulating the ramekins, the creme brulee custard cooks too quickly and either curdles or becomes too firm, rather than creamy.

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