Crème Brûlée

Silky vanilla custard under a crisp caramelized sugar crust.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup (70 g) caster sugar, plus extra for the tops
• Boiling water, for the water bath

Directions

1. Heat the cream with the vanilla pod and seeds until just below a simmer, then remove from the heat and let it infuse 10 minutes.
2. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Gradually pour the warm cream over the yolks, whisking constantly, then strain.
3. Divide among four ramekins and set them in a roasting tray. Pour boiling water into the tray to come halfway up the ramekins.
4. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 30-35 minutes until just set with a slight wobble. Cool, then chill at least 2 hours.
5. Sprinkle an even layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize with a blowtorch (or under a hot broiler) until amber and crisp. Let the top harden before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s crème brûlée.