Classic Crème Brûlée Recipe -serves 6
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
4-inch piece vanilla bean, or 1t good vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 T granulated sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 275˚
Pour the cream into a medium saucepan, split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle and scrape the seeds and add those to the cream. Place over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool while whisking the eggs. Remove vanilla bean and scrape any remaining seeds into the cream.
Whisk the egg yolks until pale lemon in color then whisk in 1/3 cup sugar until dissolved. Temper the eggs by adding a few tablespoons of the cream and incorporating it before whisking in the rest of the cream. Don’t over beat (bubbles are not desirable.)
Place 6 (or more, depending on size) ramekins in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet. Divide the custard mixture among the ramekins. Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.
Baking
The exact cooking time depends on the size and shape of your ramekins. If you are making this recipe for the first time and are unsure how long to cook it for, simply cook for 50 minutes and then check every 10 minutes until done. A good trick for checking when it is cooked is to stick a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean (or with crumbs on it) then cooking is complete. If it comes out wet then cook another 10 minutes and check again. Don't overcook as the texture will become too firm rather than creamy. Once you've made the recipe successfully, simply note the cooking time you've used and always use the same in future.
Caramelizing
After baking let cool briefly then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. When ready to serve, evenly sprinkle 1T sugar on each custard and using a blowtorch, caramelize the sugar by holding the torch 4 inches from each custard and passing it constantly over the sugar so it browns evenly. When using a broiler, place the dishes on a cookie sheet about 4 inches from the heat source. Watch carefully and turn the cookie sheet to brown the custards evenly. If a broiler is used, refrigerate the crème brûlées for 5 minutes to cool slightly before serving.
Variations
crema catalana – omit the vanilla and add 1 cinnamon stick, ¼ t freshly grated
nutmeg and 2 T lemon zest to the cream.
crème brûlée à l’orange – omit the vanilla and add 2 t orange zest and 3 T
Grand Marnier or other orange liquer.
berry patch crème brûlée - omit the vanilla bean/vanilla, reduce cream to 1 2/3
cups and add 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese or sour
cream. Do not cook the cream. Simply whisk egg
yolks as in original recipe then whisk in mascarpone
or sour cream and cream. Divide 2 cups mixed
berries among the ramekins and pour cream on top.
After caramelizing, garnish with an additional ½ cup
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