Raspberry crème brulée pie!

In the culinary world, give anything a French name and it will be a hit, especially if it's a dessert. 
While it's commonly believed that creme brulée is a French dessert, but some historians argue that it is actually a very old English recipe while others think it's of Creole origins.

No matter who invented this dessert, there's no denying that anytime it is featured on restaurant menus it will be a hit.

Usually, creme brulée is served in the ramekin in which it was baked. My recipe is inspired by the traditional dessert but I serve the cream in an edible and yummy chocolate pie shell.The cream itself is flavored with delicious raspberries.

So, let's tackle this dessert starting with the pie shell.

For the chocolate crust you need (enough for an 18 cm tart pan):

• 110 g flour
• 20 g cocoa powder
• 65 g cold butter
• 30 g sugar (I used brown cane sugar)
• dash of salt
• 15 g seedless raspberry jam
• Few drops of cold water (milk or cream)

Combine all ingredients except for the water (or cream), and in a food processor pulse for few seconds until you have a sandy mixture, add some cream, I only needed a tablespoon maybe, and the dough came together after pulsing again for few seconds. Pour the dough over a plastic wrap, shape it into a disk, cover it, and leave it to rest for at least 30 min, or over night if you are making it ahead! Roll the dough and cover the tart pan, and again leave it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 min. Blind bake it for 10 to 15 min then remove the weight in a preheated oven (180) and bake for another 5 to 10 min until the surface is no longer wet.

For the creme brulée cream mixture you need:

• 250 g or ml of cream (I used half 35% and half 18%)
• 2 egg yolks (or around 50 g, add a small amount of egg white in order to reach the proper weight)
• 30 g sugar (or 40 g if you wish a sweeter result)
• 50 g of raspberry, you can use frozen or fresh
• A vanilla pod, split in half

Combine the cream, vanilla, and the raspberry, and put it to simmer on a gentle heat. Meanwhile whisk the yolks and the sugar until creamy and with a pale cream color. Slowly pour the cream through a sieve over the egg while whisking vigorously.

When the crust is cooled, carefully pour the cream over, put your pan on a tray which will make the transfer to the oven easier, and now you need to bake it for about 45 to 50 min in a preheated oven with only 125 or 150, depends on how strong your oven is. When the cream thickens but still wiggling in the center, then it´s time to take the pie from the oven.
Optional: I added some seedless raspberry jam on the crust before pouring the cream, just a thin layer, but you can skip this step if you wish!

You have to let it cool completly then leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

When you are ready to serve it, sprinkle some brown sugar (preferably) and with a blow torch (or under the grill) burn the sugar until caramelized. In two to three minutes the sugar will form a hard and glistening crust that is will break when you tap it with a spoon.

Slice your tart into serving size portions and serve with some fresh fruits and enjoy this delicious creamy dessert.