Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• heavy cream500 ml
• vanilla bean1, split and scraped
• large egg yolks5
• granulated sugar75 g, plus 4 tbsp for the tops
• fine sea saltpinch

Steps

1. 1

   Heat cream and steep vanilla.

   Heat the oven to 150°C / 300°F. Warm the cream with the vanilla seeds and pod over low heat until steaming. Remove from heat and steep 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Whisk yolks with sugar and salt.

   Whisk the yolks with the 75 g sugar and salt until pale. Slowly stream the warm cream into the yolks, whisking constantly, then strain through a fine sieve.

3. 3

   Divide custard and add water bath.

   Divide the custard between four shallow ramekins set in a deep baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.

4. 4

   Bake custard until edges set.

   Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still wobble like jelly when nudged.

5. 5

   Cool and chill custard.

   Cool on the counter, then chill at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

6. 6

   Torch sugar to caramelize.

   Just before serving, blot any surface moisture, scatter 1 tbsp sugar over each custard, and torch in slow circles until the sugar bubbles and turns deep amber. Let the crust set for 1 minute, then crack with a spoon.