Crème Brûlée

Name: Crème Brûlée
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup milk; 2 1/4 cups heavy cream; 2 vanilla beans, cut in half lengthwise; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 pinch salt; 10 egg yolks; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 6 fluted flan or quiche dishes, 5-inches diameter and 1-inch deep

8 ingredients•9 steps•6 servings

1
Preheat oven to 300°F.
2
Place milk, cream, vanilla bean, sugar and salt in a saucepan and whisk until well combined. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat.
3
Remove vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture. Let cool and infuse for 1/2 hour.
4
Add egg yolks while whisking, until well combined.
5
Place flan dishes on a 1-inch deep baking sheet. Fill the flan dishes 3/4 full with the crème brûlée mixture.
6
Place in oven and fill baking sheet 3/4 full with hot water (creating a water bath).
7
Bake 1 hour or until the cream is set.
8
Remove the dishes from the hot water bath and set aside to cool.
9
To serve: Sprinkle the top of each serving evenly with brown sugar. Caramelize with a torch or red hot salamander until the sugar browns.

💡 Cook's Notes

Crème brûlée is best if caramelized with a torch or salamander, but not all home cooks are so well equipped. If not available, place the cooled crème brûlée in the refrigerator until chilled. When ready to serve, place the sugar coated crème in a preheated broiler, 6 inches from the flame, being careful not to burn the sugar.