Vanilla Blackberry Creme Brulee With a Blackberry Shiraz Coulis

Blackberry Juice
One bag thawed frozen blackberries

To make the juice

1. Put berries in a sieve and squeeze all juice out of them leaving the pulp and seeds behind. Will most likely produce a little under 1 cup of juice.
   
   
2. Use in recipes below accordingly.
   

Vanilla Bean Blackberry Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 a vanilla bean split
4 tbsp pure blackberry juice + 2 tablespoons extra
2 tbsp vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar

To make the creme brulee

1. Preheat an oven to 300 F.
   
   
2. Boil a pot of water to have on hand.
   
   
3. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle and scrape the seeds into a 2-quart saucepan.
   
   
4. Add the heavy cream and whisk to mix vanilla beans.
   
   
5. Let simmer over medium-low heat until bubbles form around the edges and steam rises.
   
   
6. Whisk in blackberry juice and vanilla extract.
   
   
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
   
   
8. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth.
   
   
9. Gradually add the cream to the egg mixture and mix well with whisk.
   
   
10. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
    
    
11. Place the ramekins in a baking pan lined with a kitchen towel.
    
    
12. Divide the custard among ramekins then drip small amounts of blackberry dots in the ramekins. To create cool designs use toothpick to swirl drops in the custard.
    
    
13. Place pan with ramekins on oven rack that has been pulled out a little and then slowly add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
    
    
14. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
    
    
15. Bake until the custard is just set around the edges about 30-40 minutes.
    
    
16. Place ramekins on a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
    
    
17. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 5 hours.
    
    
18. When ready to serve: sprinkle about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top of the chilled custard and caramelize the sugar on top with a culinary torch or the oven broiler.
    

Blackberry Shiraz Coulis
3/4 cup pure blackberry juice
1/4 cup Shiraz
4 tbsp cup powdered sugar or "to taste"
2 tsp lime juice

To make the juice

1. Whisk all ingredients together.
   
   
2. Chill and serve with creme brulee