Crème Brûlée

Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Put the cream, the seeds and the empty pod in a saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5–8 minutes, until it is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge, but not boiling. Take it off the heat, cover and leave it to infuse for 15 minutes, then remove the pod.

• cream500 mL
• vanilla1

Heat the oven to 150 °C. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 90 g of the sugar for 2–3 minutes, until pale and slightly thickened, but not foamy. Pour the warm cream onto the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time, so the yolks warm slowly and do not scramble. Strain the custard through a sieve into a jug, and skim off any foam.

• egg yolk6
• sugar90 g

Put six ramekins, each holding about 150 ml, in a deep roasting tin. Divide the custard between them. Pour hot water into the tin until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the custards are set at the edges but still wobble like jelly in the centre when you shake the tin. Lift them out and cool to room temperature.

• water1 L

Cover the cooled ramekins loosely and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours, or overnight and for up to 2 days. The custards firm up as they chill, and a well-chilled custard is essential, because it must stay cold under the heat of the caramel. Take them out of the refrigerator just before you caramelise the tops.

Pat the surface of each custard dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle the remaining 60 g of sugar evenly over the six custards, about 2 teaspoons each, tilting each ramekin to cover the surface. Melt it with a kitchen blowtorch, held about 5 cm away and moved constantly, for 2–3 minutes, until it is deep amber and bubbling. Leave for 2 minutes for the caramel to harden.

• sugar60 g