How To Make Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee (burnt cream) is a custard dessert topped with browned sugar and usually baked in a ramekin. It is a very light and refreshing dish. It first appeared in a French cookbook in 1691.

I remember the first time I made this, it was so incredibly easy to make and had a very light taste. It really hits the spot when you want a dessert that isn't too filling. This recipe is for a basic creme brulee and will serve 4.

Tools and ingredients:

• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or one half of a real vanilla bean
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 4 teaspoons of sugar for topping
• 4 small ramekins
• Wire whisk
• Strainer
• Baking pan
• Saucepan
• Cooking torch
• Mixing bowls

Directions:

1. Separate the yolk from the white of each egg. An easy way to do this is to break the egg in your hand and keep moving it from hand to hand until the white has drained from the yolk.
2. Place the sugar and the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and mix with a wire whisk.
3. Heat the cream in a medium-sized saucepan until it boils. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cream cool.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the cream to the yolk mixture one tablespoon at a time, stirring all the time. Next, add the mixture to the rest of the cream and mix. Doing it this way avoids the chance that the yolks will become curdled.
5. Use a strainer to remove any lumps that may appear.
6. Add the vanilla extract and mix again until you have a smooth custard.
7. Pour equal amounts of the mixture into four small ramekins.
8. Place the ramekins in a shallow baking pan and pour boiling water into the pan. Make sure the boiling water does not touch the custard itself.
9. Cook in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour. They are ready when the edge of the custard is set but the middle still has some movement.
10. Let cool and then refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for approximately 8 hours.
11. After refrigeration, and about an hour before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar (powdered or regular) on top of each ramekin.
12. Broil in the oven or use a cooking torch to cook the sugar until it turns a golden brown. Don't overcook it as it will become hard and bitter.
13. Return to fridge for 45 minutes.
14. Serve your creme brulee in the ramekins.

This is a very basic recipe, many cooks add rum, or chocolate, or coffee for a different taste. However, I prefer vanilla.