Parsnip Crème brûlée with carrot & tarragon sorbet

Parsnip creme brulee1

A sweet history...

Parsnip has been used as a vegetable since antiquity and was cultivated by the Romans, although there is some confusion in the literature of the time between parsnips and carrots.

It was used as a sweetener before the arrival in Europe of cane sugar and it was introduced into north America in the nineteenth century.

For the parsnip crème brûlée:

50g whole milk ( ½ cup)
150g heavy cream (1 ½ cups)
2 egg yolks
1/3 c. brown sugar
50g parsnip purée (1 parsnip, peeled and cubed + 125ml milk + 1 tbsp. sugar + 2 orange zest)

  1. Place the diced parsnip into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a quick boil, drain and refresh.

  2. Place the blanched parsnip back into the saucepan and add the milk, sugar and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and gently cook until the liquid is totally evaporated.

  3. Purée the parsnip. Turn the oven to 325ºF.

  4. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and slightly pale.

  5. In a saucepan or a microwave, warm the cream and the milk. Pour the hot liquid on the egg/sugar mixture, add the parsnip purée and mix well.

  6. Pour the mixture directly into ramekins and place on a deep baking dish.

  7. Pour hot water into the baking dish so that is it half way up the ramekins.

  8. Bake until they are just set (15-20 mns) and cool immediately.

  9. Place in the fridge until completely set and cooled. To brûlée the crème: dust first with a little icing sugar  to absorbe any remaining moisture from the top, then sprinkle with a little granulated sugar. Using a (plumber) blow torch, caramelize the crème by moving the flame in a circular motion 1 inch away from the layer of sugar, gently melting it first. By always moving the flame, the sugar with eventually evenly caramelized.

For the carrot & tarragon sorbet:

200g sugar
200g water
2 tbsp. honey
2 branch of fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dry tarragon
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 gelatine leaves (optional)
325g carrot juice
125ml  orange juice

  1. Combine the water with the sugar and honey and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes to completely dissolve the sugar. Add the tarragon and the softened gelatine (optional), mix well and steep for 5 minutes. Strain thought a fine sieve.

  2. Add the carrot and orange juice and allow cooling.

  3. Pour into an ice-cream maker. Follow manufacturer direction to make the sorbet.

Ingredients, Press, RecipesCuisine and Châteaucalgary, carrot, cooking class, creme brulee, dessert, parsnip, tarragon