Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Prep time: 50 minServes: 6
Pairs with
Crème brûlée — vanilla, cream, caramel. Sauternes is the classic choice for a reason. Or a Tokaji if you want Central Europe's answer.
Ingredients
- 500ml double cream
- 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
- 5 egg yolks
- 80g caster sugar, plus 6 tbsp for brûléeing
Method
- 11. Heat the oven to 150°C.
- 22. Warm the cream with vanilla pod and seeds until it just starts to simmer. Remove, let it infuse 10 minutes.
- 33. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.
- 44. Pour the warm cream in a thin stream into the egg mixture while whisking. Strain out the vanilla pod.
- 55. Divide among 6 ramekins. Place in a roasting tin, pour hot water around the ramekins halfway up.
- 66. Bake 35–40 minutes until the surface is set but the centre still wobbles.
- 77. Chill at least 4 hours.
- 88. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar evenly on each. Torch with a blowtorch (or 2 minutes under a hot grill) until glossy and amber.
- 99. Wait 1 minute. Tap the glaze with a spoon — it should sound like glass.