Recipe: Creme brulee

Creme brulee is a delicious dessert that can follow up almost any meal.  Comforting in the winter, or refreshing in the summer with some seasonal berries - always a treat.  the "brulee" is best done with a torch, but if your oven has a good broil setting, let it heat up well and place the brulees on the top rack, watch and rotate if needed.  This recipe should give 4-5 servings depending on your dish size and should give a nice medium firm custard.  If you like your custards firmer or creamier, just add or subtract egg yolks accordingly.  Another important factor is the cooking temperature - custards behave better when they aren't rushed - it's even better to make the mixture a day ahead and let it rest in the fridge to let the flavours develop.  This recipe should be cooked in about 30 minutes at 300F(150C), but if I'm preparing a meal and know I'll be around the kitchen for awhile, I'll even drop the temperature closer to 250F(120C) and let it take it's time - the finished product tends to come out more consistently creamy and the chance of overcooking it goes way down (always use your timer).

You will need:

500ml / 2C    heavy cream
  1                  vanilla bean (scraped)
  6                  egg yolks
80ml / 1/3C   white sugar (plus extra for burning)

Method:

 - set the oven to 300F(150C) -or less
 - start a pot with water to be a double-boiler
 - in a saucepot, mix the vanilla and the cream and bring up to a simmer
 - mix the yolks and the sugar in a bowl large enough for the double boiler
 - when the cream is up to heat, slowly pour into the egg yolks while steadily whisking
 - move the bowl to the double-boiler and stir with a spatula, always scraping the bottom
 - when the mixture coats the spatula, remove from the heat and chill down if you don't need to cook them right away
 - cover the mix with plastic right on the surface and let it rest in the fridge overnight
 - stir the custard to re-emulsify, then fill your dishes
 - place the dishes in a deep pan and make a bain-marie (use the water from the double  boiler)
 - place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes - the tops should seem firm when jiggled
 - remove the pan from oven, then the dishes from the pan, and let cool on the counter before storing in the fridge
 - when serving, dust the tops of the custards with sugar and burn with a torch (or oven broiler)
 - for extra caramel crunch, just do a light burn, then repeat the process with a second layer of sugar