INGREDIENTS
- 500 ml of double cream (single cream and milk won't work. Trust me; I've tried it!)
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla pod
- 100 g of caster sugar
- 6 yolks
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 150C/ 300F/ Gas mark 2
- Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat.
- Spilt the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape the seeds and put both into the pan
- Add in vanilla extract
- Heat up the cream to a gentle simmer
- Let the cream sit for 10 mins with the vanilla pod to infuse and intensify the flavour
- While the cream is set aside, work on the eggs. Whisk up the yolks together with the sugar
- Gently combine the cream with the yolks. Be careful not to do this in one go. Start by adding a spoon or two of the warm cream to the yolks; this process helps to raise the temperature of the yolks and is called 'tempering'. (If you pour cream into the yolks too quickly, you risk scrambling your eggs and will have to start again)
- Once all combined, pour the mix through a sieve so you have a smooth custard consistency into six ramequins or expresso cups. I like using expresso cups; I think it looks very stylish and quaint.
- Create a bain marie by placing the ramequins or the cups in a casserole dish or baking tray. Pour boiled water in the tray. The water should only go halfway up the cups.
- Bake your crème brûlées for about 40 mins (this may vary depending on the oven and type of ramequin used). You know you're done when the custard has set and still has a wobble to it.
- Once baked put on a cooling rack and leave to cool.
- Before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar on each crème brûlée. Use a blowtorch to create the caramelised hard crunchy top
Crème brûlées are now complete and ready to serve. I also like to add homemade shortbread biscuits with my crème brûlée.
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