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June 2009...

Ramekins....

Ramekins, or custard cups, come in all shapes and sizes and can hold all kinds of things, from soufflés to bread puddings to crème brûlées. Most recipes for crème brûlée will specific the ounce portion size for the ramekin, like my mocha crème brûlée (it calls for 4-ounce ramekins).

There are several sizes of 4-ounce ramekins, so which one do you choose? There are wide, short ones and tall ones. Both will work, but for brûlée, I like the wide short ones. Why? They give more surface space for the burnt sugar, which is my favorite part of the brûlée. If you like the creamy custard more than the crunchy sugar layer, opt for a taller, deeper ramekin.

In this picture, I'd go for the three on the bottom, as they are more wide than deep, allowing for lots of space for the burnt sugar. Just remember that it takes a bit less time to cook brûlées in the wide, shallow ramekins and more time with tall, deep ones. The top two ramekins work just fine, and are easier to find than the wide, shallow ones, so really, just use whatever you have. Unless of course, you need an excuse to go bake ware shopping, then by all means, go out and get some real crème brûlée ramekins. You can find them at most cooking stores and online.

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