“Cheese has always been a food that both sophisticated and simple humans love.”
M.F.K. Fisher, How to Cook a Wolf (1942)
I simply love cheese. I guess I know which side of Fisher’s equation that places me on. Though I’m not a fan of processed cheese. There, I just retained my dignity.
This week’s dish was a cheese lover’s dream. Well, it was this cheese lover’s dream. My partner, who loves cheese even more than I do, decided that he wasn’t a fan of this savoury cheese custard. “I prefer my cheese sliced,” was his verdict. My reply: “More for me!” And I enjoyed these all through last weekend. I guess there are some advantages to recipes that don’t win universal popularity…
I used a mixture of Gruyère and Dubliner, which worked really well together. The Gruyère was the last little bit of a beautiful cave-aged variety that appears occasionally at our local food co-op. This brûlée was a very good last use of the cheese. I chopped my cheese into tiny cubes (measurable in millimeters), which disappeared into the custard while baking. I had to turn up the heat from 200° to 250° for the last fifteen minutes of baking time, as my ramekins aren’t as shallow as those called for in the recipe.
I’ll make this again, certainly (though for a dinner sans Kevin). Creamy, cheesy, mostly made-in-advance, and a little unusual – sounds like a perfect start to a dinner party.
Happy International Women’s Day, everyone!
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Cheesy Crème Brûlée
One Wet Foot 
I had to turn the oven up a bit too. I love cheese too, but not the processed stuff. Yours looks great and sine Kevin didn’t like it more for you!
I had to turn the heat up at the end too (after the first 50 minutes passed and it still looked like soup). I love the MFK Fisher quote. I certainly do love cheese. These were quite a lovely use of cheese. I have two more to enjoy tomorrow. Have a great weekend, and Happy Women’s Day!
Oh, man, I have to try this with Gruyere at some point. That would be great. This totally appealed to the cheese-lover in me (which is all of me, really). This will definitely be making another appearance on my table!
Teresa, very lovely Cheesy Crème Brûlée, it has a perfect color and looks just wonderful – so nice that you enjoyed this so much and you are so right about the advantage of certain recipes that do not appeal to all at home…more for those whoe really enjoy the dish. Very nice presentation! It is fabulous that you got to use Gruyère from a local food co-op and I am impressed that it was “cave aged”, that is rather rare but usually produces wonderful cheeses. There is a cheese available here that is aged in a “dripstone cave”, I always marvel at the different food making processes.
Have a lovely weekend!
Cheese is one of my happy foods. I would be a very sad girl if bread and cheese were stripped from my life.
The cheese sounds lovely – and I really ike the idea of recipes like this that allow you to make use of what’s on hand.
Mmmm – this WAS good, wasn’t it? Though I will need to chop my cheese cubes up (or grate it) in the bottom of the ramekins next time…
Glad you enjoyed these, Teresa! I also turned my oven up for about 15 minutes to 250, and baked mine about 10 minutes longer than suggested. I love dubliner cheese…perfect for the brulee. Have a great weekend!
I think I better give this recipe another try…cutting my cheese cubes tinier and bumping up the oven temp. So glad you enjoyed!!!
Glad you liked them – I was with Kevin on this one, although I thought they were ok.
My ramekins are like yours and my cheese didn’t melt at all. I really wish I had turned my oven up sooner! It almost makes me want to try making these again…
And Happy International Women’s Day to you. In Oprah magazine this month about how to celebrate this month was a ladies ‘dining in night’ and the proceeds to go to a women’s fund. Great idea, huh? Maybe a group of friends sharing Dorie food and wine?
I’ve turned into quite a cheese eater as I’ve aged (pardon the pun) and, like you, detest processed cheese. I like both Gruyere and Dubliner, must have been heavenly! I have to cook mine at the end of the month and I inadvertently followed the voting list of recipes.
My cheese-loving partner didn’t love these either. I think the concept was a little too “different” for his taste. I, on the other hand, really enjoyed these!
Whoops, I am a bit late with my comments this week. I liked this brulée a lot even through my photographs of my “result” were downright awful. Didn’t affect the taste although I would have browned mine more. I cooked mine longer although I think when I do this again, I will cook in a waterbath in a hotter oven. I agree that it would be a wonderful dinner party dish. Try. Try. Again. And, Happy International Women’s Day, a little late. I celebrated with the same gals as in years’ past and it was fun.
Mmm…they sure look delicious and I am glad that you got to enjoy them. I am not sure how these will go over at my house, but I intend to give them a try.