CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE (serves 6)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
6 tsp turbinado sugar, optional

Heat oven to 325°. Place six 6 oz ramekins on a kitchen towel in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them without touching. Boil a pot of water.
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, cream & 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar to a boil. Remove from heat & whisk in the chopped chocolate until melted. Combine the yolks, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar & vanilla in a 4 cup glass measuring cup or pitcher. Slowly whisk about 1/2 the warm chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining warm chocolate mixture in the saucewpan. Pour the custard back into the measuring cup through a fine strainer, then pour the mixture evenly into the 6 ramekins. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake until custards are set but still quiver in the center when gently shaken, about 45 minutes (less if smaller containers.) The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the roasting pan & your oven. Remove from the water bath & let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If you want to make it a brulee, at serving time, evenly sprinkle the surface of each custard with 1 tsp of turbinado sugar & broil. Note that broilers don't heat evenly & you must watch very carefully. If they overheat, refrigerate.~~The Classic Cookbook

Here's another:

COCONUT CRÃME BRÃLÃE

4 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
2 tsp. rum or coconut liqueur
2 Tblsp. brown sugar
2 Tblsp. grated coconut
2 vanilla beans or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:
Grated coconut
Toasted grated coconut
8 strawberries
Mint sprigs

Preheat oven to 275° F.

In a mixing bowl, mix the egg yolks, cream, rum or coconut liqueur, brown sugar and grated coconut. Slit the vanilla beans and scrape the inside into the batter; or stir in vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk and pour into 4 individual ramekins or ceramic molds.

Place ramekins in a baking pan with about 1-inch of water and bake in this water bath (bain-marie style) until the custards are set, about 45 minutes. Take the ramekins from the oven. Let cool in the water. Refrigerate until very cold.

Preheat the broiler in the oven. Take ramekins from the refrigerator; sprinkle brown sugar over the custard, removing excess sugar. Place the ramekins on a baking pan and caramelize under the broiler, being very careful not to burn them.

To serve: Sprinkle grated and toasted coconut over the custards. Place the ramekins in the center of serving plates. Garnish with 2 strawberries on one side of the ramekins and a sprig of mint over the custard. Makes 4 servings.

Thank you, Ginger and Pat. These recipes sound delicious and I am anxious to try them.

I found several different varieties in the recipe section on the Wlliams-Sonoma web page. The expresso one is awesome.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here is a link that might be useful

I've never made this recipe but it comes from melindalee.com who has a great "food" talk radio show and her other recipes I've made are great!!

PUMPKIN CREME BRULEE

6 svgs of 1/2 cup each

1 1/4 cups, whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 Cup, canned, solid pack pumpkin
2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier liquer
1/4 C. golden brown (light brown) sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

350 degree oven
In a heavy-bottom saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, then remove pan from heat. Scrape the pulp (seeds) from the vanilla bean into the hot cream & then add the scraped pod pieces as well. Allow to steep for 20 min. or so then remove and discard the vanilla pod pieces.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the 6 Tbsp. of sugar & the nutmeg to blend. Add the solid packed pumpkin and the Grand Marnier, whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the cream mixture.

Divide the custard among 6, 1/2 cup ramekins or custard cups. Arrange ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them, then add enough hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake about 20 minutes or until the sides of the the custards are set, but the centers still move slightly when dishes are gently shaken. Remove custards from the water bath and cool for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 1 hr. May be prepared 1 day ahead to this point.

Preheat the broiler (or prepare propane torch, if using). Sift the brown sugar with the cinnamon into a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the tops of the chilled custards. Broil 8 inches from the heating element until sugar begins to melt, watching carefully to prevent burning, about 30 seconds. OR ignite the torch (med. flame) back and forth or in a circular motion across sugared custards to blister and melt the sugar. Serve immediately.

I printed this out 5 years ago but I bet she'll put it up on her website for Thxgiving.

I am in charge of taking dessert to a champagne and desert social in our neighborhood (12 townhomes). Has anyone tried making creme brulee as a large dish vs using individual serving ramekins? My other choice of dessert is wine poached pears. Any other ideas?