Creme Brulee
The second best thing about the dessert is the moment when your spoon first breaks the crispy sugar topping. The best thing is, of course, eating it.
Creme Brulee
8 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until well-mixed. Add cream and vanilla and continue to whisk until well blended.
Divide into ramekins or custard cups. (I used eight 1/2 cup ramekins and had mixture left over.) Place ramekins in a large baking pan filled with 1″ to 2″ of water. Bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes - until set around the edges but still loose in the center.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan with water. Put the ramekins in the refrigerator to cool further for at least 2 hours (may be kept there for up to two days).
When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar across the top of each custard. Knock off the extra - a thin, light coat works best. Use a hand-held kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar or place the ramekins under the broiler until the sugar melts. (The torch works best - it’s easier to control how the sugar melts, avoid burning, and it’s fun.)
Rechill the custards for a few minutes and then serve.
If you want, you can garnish each creme brulee with fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberry slices). It adds a touch of color and the sweet creaminess of the custard is complimented perfectly by the tartness of the berries.