Cherry Risotto Crème Brulée

🍒 Buy Canadian, local Cherries - they are worth it. They are a fragile fruit, with a super limited season that are hand harvested & available only from some very specific growing regions in the world (we are lucky enough to be near one of them)! If the cherry farmer can actually avoid hail storms, birds, pests & other natural challenges that come with farming fruit, the cherries are then transported by refrigerated truck, warehoused & redistributed to retailers. Canadian Cherries are around $4.99/lb this year and worth every single penny. Pay for them. Support our Canadian Farmers and their employees. 🍒  Shop local. Eat local. Our Canadian farmers need you but not nearly as much as we need them.❤️

Cherry Risotto Crème Brulée

If ever you were thinking about getting a blowtorch for your kitchen, this is the last excuse you'll ever need!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh Bing Cherries, pitted
• 4 tablespoons Kirsch
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 2/3 cup Arborio Rice
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1/3 cup Sugar, plus 6 tablespoons for topping
• 5 large Egg Yolks
• 1 1/2 cups Whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Put the cherries in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the kirsch. Let stand for 15 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, rice, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is al dente and about 1/2 cup milk remains. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1/3 cup sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale in colour. Whisk in the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons kirsch or, alternatively, the vanilla extract. Stir in the rice mixture.
4. Place six standard-size flan dishes in a baking pan. Reserve a dozen cherries for garnish and divide the remainder among the dishes. Divide the custard mixture and any juices from the cherries among the dishes (discarding the cinnamon stick). Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the centre of each custard still jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and lift the dishes from the hot water. Let cool briefly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
5. When ready to serve, place the dishes on a baking sheet and evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each custard. Using a hand-held blowtorch, caramelize the sugar. Garnish the top of each dish with a cherry or two.

Prep Time: 145 Minutes

Cook time: 60 Minutes