Today is Launch Day for GUILTY AS CINNAMON, the second in my Seattle Spice Shop Mysteries. Leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win a signed copy.
And it’s also launch day for DEAD TO THE LAST DROP, by Cleo Coyle, the 15th Coffeehouse Mystery. Congratulations, Cleo—LOVE the title!
I’m often asked where the recipes in my books come from. Some are family favorites, some are new finds I’m eager to share, and some I create, discover, or adapt for the book. For GUILTY AS CINNAMON, I went looking for a fun dessert that would feature cinnamon, but because the book is set in April, have a light, springy feel. Now, having tested it several times—we suffer, so you don’t have to—I can assure you it’s supremely fabulous in any season.
We got started making crème brûlée years ago, when my mother noticed Mr. Right’s fondness for it on dinners out, and gave us a set of ramekins and a kitchen torch. Men and fire, right? Turns out to be exactly right for GUILTY AS CINNAMON, though I won’t tell you just why!
But I will say while Pepper and Tag don’t agree on much, they are of one mind when it comes to this recipe: the very best crème brûlée ever.
You may blanch when you see that it’s made entirely with cream. You could substitute half-and-half and still swoon with its fabulosity.
Orange Cinnamon Crème Brûlée
2 cups heavy cream1/2 cup white sugar (divided use)
Zest of 1 orange, removed in wide strips with a peeler
1 cinnamon stick
6 to 8 strands of fresh thyme
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons turbinado sugar, for topping
Strips of orange peel or thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla. When the infused cream is cooled to the touch, slowly pour it into the egg mixture and whisk to combine. (Cooling the cream avoids curdling the eggs.)
Place four 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Carefully fill the ramekins with the custard mixture. Place the dish in the oven and carefully pour hot water into the pan, till it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake until the custard is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center, about 35 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Lift out the ramekins—tongs work nicely—and cool on a rack at room temperature. (Don’t leave them in the hot water, as the heat would continue to cook the mixture.) When cool, move ramekins to refrigerator to chill for at least an hour before the next step.
Just before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of turbinado sugar evenly over the top of each dish. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch. The sugar will harden, turn golden, and become crunchy. If you don’t have a torch, broil the dishes 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar forms a crisp, golden top.
Garnish with a curvy strip of orange peel or a sprig of thyme.
Or a Scottie dog.
Serves 4.
Leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of GUILTY AS CINNAMON; contest ends midnight, Wednesday, December 3. Please include your email address!
Pepper Reece knows that fiery flavors are the spice of life. But when a customer dies of a chili overdose, she finds herself in hot pursuit of a murderer…
From the cover ...
Murder heats up Seattle’s Pike Place Market in the next Spice Shop mystery from the national bestselling author of Assault and Pepper.
Springtime in Seattle’s Pike Place Market means tasty foods and wide-eyed tourists, and Pepper’s Seattle Spice Shop is ready for the crowds. With flavorful combinations and a fresh approach, she’s sure to win over the public. Even better, she’s working with several local restaurants as their chief herb and spice supplier. Business is cooking, until one of Pepper’s potential clients, a young chef named Tamara Langston, is found dead, her life extinguished by the dangerously hot ghost chili—a spice Pepper carries in her shop.
Now stuck in the middle of a heated police investigation, Pepper must use all her senses to find out who wanted to keep Tamara’s new café from opening—before someone else gets burned…
Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries—and the first author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction. The president of Sisters in Crime, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat Ruff, a cover model and avid bird-watcher.
Connect with her on her website or on Facebook.
At this time of year, all our lives could use a little spicing up!
ReplyDeletetaft.jane@gmail.com
Happy Launch Day, Leslie! Oh, orange and cinnamon creme brulee, yummy! Definitely trying this.
ReplyDeletelola777_22 (at) hotmail (dot) com
Orange? Yeah! Cinnamon? Yeah! Creme Brûlée? Yeah! Yeah! I think I found my Christmas Eve dessert. I am excited about this book, too! kat8762@aol.com
ReplyDeleteChristmas Eve dessert? Why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteCongratulations on your release! This sounds scrumptious! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteangelhwk68@yahoo.com
Congrats on release day! Love the series and that cover is just too cute. And that is one yummy dessert for the holidays. Downloading the recipe right now. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletesallycootie@gmail.com
Definitely a cover to make you hungry, isn't it? And I promise, Arf the Dog plays a critical role!
DeleteNew book! New book! Yay! The recipe sounds lovely. My daughter was given one of those mini torches a few years ago, and neither of us has managed to make it work. Maybe it's time to try again!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful citrus twist on the classic crème brûlée dessert! And I'm definitely excited about the new book. EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release day, and thank you for the recipe!
ReplyDeletemyrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
This recipe looks divine, but possibly a bit beyond my baking ability which runs more along the lines of pie and cookies. Dare I venture out of my comfort zone????
ReplyDeleteHappy Release Day! !!! Looking forward to reading this book!!!
ejbs3s@yahoo.com
Jody, think of them as crustless custard pies! They're really quite simple -- just be careful with the hot water, and don't let them sit in the water bath once they seem done, b/c they can get overcooked that way. Try 'em!
DeleteI had crime brûlée once and liked it but can't have the dairy anymore.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking foward to reading the new book.
sgiden at verizon.net
I made white chocolate crime brule once which was divine. I love orange deserts. suefoster109@netzero.net. Thank you for the give away.
ReplyDeleteWhite chocolate creme brulee? I'm swooning!
DeleteThe recipe sounds yummy...and happy launch day! patucker54 (at aol dot com)
ReplyDeleteThis recipe sounds wonderful! Foxyjoo at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteWOW this looks really good. Great looking book!! grandmatinaof2(at)gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI haven't read a book in this series, but sounds like fun! Thank you. jr_dj_gantt@juno.com
ReplyDeleteI love cinnamon---I think I'll try this recipe. Thanks for the contest.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I love anything with cinnamon, I'll have to try this. Thanks for this amazing book giveaway, I do appreciate it. Linda May lindamay4852@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHappy Launch Day! Orange Creme Brulee looks wonderful
ReplyDeletecontact at: bckey76@comcast.net
DeleteI love reading and my favorite thing is mysterys. It would be swesome to win books.
ReplyDeleteI love reading and my favorite thing is mysterys. It would be swesome to win books.
ReplyDeleteI should know better than to read this before breakfast (I've just finished my coffee). Now I'm really hungry. I wish I could have some now , along with your book.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
Thanks for the chance of winning.
ReplyDeletegalinda at earthlink.net
DeleteCongratulations on release day! This and the first one are on my Christmas wish list and Cleo's first in the Coffeehouse mystery series is on my shelf waiting for it's turn. I just wish I could read faster. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteawilcox1182@gmail.com
Della at deepotter@peoplepc.com Looks like a good read. So am hoping. And congrats
ReplyDeleteRecipe sounds terrific! Book sounds even better!! Happy release day.
ReplyDeletekpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
I love cinnamon! Happy launch day to you. Thank you for the chance to win. crossxjo@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteHappy launch day and thanks for sharing your recipe! Yummy!!!! Sherylhbooth@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteCinnamon especially the roasted kind is my very favorite spice. Congratulations on you new release Ruth Nixon ruthenixon@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteCongrats.....love to win. rhondajgothier@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteCreme brulee! Yum!
ReplyDeleteThyme is not something I would have thought of. Interesting.
When steeping the flavors in the cream, they come to a boil and are immediately strained? No sitting around before the straining?
Best wishes on your new book baby.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Right -- the cream picks up the oils in the heating process. You could let it steep a little longer, but we didn't find it necessary, and I wonder if you might not get a little bitterness that way.
DeleteThanks for the good wishes -- I do love this book!
Leslie, I've always wanted a kitchen torch and this recipe makes me want one even more! This sounds super yummy and easy, thanks for sharing! Congratulations on the new release! :-) nicolev.girldetective@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sounds terribly tempting and I have thyme growing in a planter on my balcony....
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Thyme on your balcony -- you are set for yum!
DeleteThis sounds so good...and I have a lot of the basics...this and your book so like the cover...Thanks for the contest.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Thanks -- both my series have the same cover artist, and he's terrific!
DeleteThis recipe looks delectable as does the wonderful book. Thanks for this great giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHow delightful to have this special recipe for the holidays. Congratulations on this captivating book. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new release. And this recipe looks yummy! Dm_richards@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new release. And this recipe looks yummy! Dm_richards@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI love creme brulee but have never tried to make one.
ReplyDelete2 new series! Congrats on the new releases! I've