Fruited Oatmeal Brûlée with Ginger-Maple Cream
1 cup heavy cream
4 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 (3 inch) strips orange peel
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup each dried, pitted cherries and apricots, chopped
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 pint raspberries
4 Tbsp superfine sugar
1. In a saucepan, heat cream, ginger, cinnamon, and orange peel to a simmer; over low heat, simmer, covered, 10 minutes to infuse cream with flavor. Remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup and nutmeg; cover.
2. Bring water and salt to a boil; stir in oats, cook 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in dried fruit, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the Ginger-Maple Cream. Cook 7 minutes more. Remove from heat; cover; let stand 3 minutes. Strain Ginger-Maple Cream; discard solids.
3. Butter four 1-cup ovenproof bowls; place 6 raspberries on bottom of each. Divide the oatmeal evenly over the raspberries; smooth tops. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the sugar evenly over oatmeal. Using a brûlée butane torch, caramelize sugar; serve with remaining Ginger-Maple Cream.