Coffee-Caramel Creme Brulee

Recipe from Bon Appetit, March, 2009 which says that the custard in this creme brulee tastes just like a rich caramel cappuccino. Posted for ZWT 8 - France.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1⁄4 cup  dark-roast coffee beans, crushed with a mallet in plastic bag (French Roast, about 3/4 oz)
• 1  cup sugar, divided
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  cups half-and-half
• 8  large  egg yolks
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 8  teaspoons raw sugar (turbinado sugar)

Directions

1. Bring 1 cup cream and coffee beans to a simmer in a heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let steep at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, swirling pan occasionally, about 11 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir over low heat until caramel is smooth. Stir in half and half. Strain coffee-infused cream into caramel cream; discard coffee beans in strainer.
3. Whisk yolks, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Strain custard into large measuring cup.
4. Arrange 8 (2/3 - 3/4 cup) ramekins or custard cups in roasting pan. Divide custard among ramekins. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
5. Bake custards until just set in center, 65-70 minutes. Transfer custards from water bath directly to refrigerator. Chill uncovered until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
6. Sprinkle top of each custard with 1 teaspoons raw sugar. Using kitchen torch, melt sugar on each custard until deep amber. (Alternate method - preheat broiler. Arrange custard cups on small rimmed baking sheet; broil until sugar topping melts and browns, about 2 minutes.) Refrigerate custards until sugar topping hardens, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (do not chill longer than 1 hour or topping will start to soften). Serve custards cold.