Creme Brulee

By fuzzygroup

Ingredients

• 4 cups chilled heavy cream
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 vanilla bean halved lengthwise
• 12 large egg yolks
• 8-12 tsp turbinado or demerara sugar

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Combine 2 cups cream, sugar and salt in medium saucepan; with paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan. Submerge pod in cream and bring mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves. Take pan off heat and let steep 15 minutes to infuse flavors.

3. Meanwhile, place kitchen towel in bottom of large baking dish or roasting pan and arrange eight 4 to 5 oz ramekins on towel. Bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.

4. After cream has steeped, stir in remaining 2 cups of cream to cool down mixture. Whisk yolks in large bowl until broken up and combined. Whisk about 1 cup cream mixture into yolks until loosened and combined; repeat with another 1 cup cream. Add remaining cream and whisk until evenly colored and thoroughly combined. Strain thru fine mesh strainer into 2 quart measuring cup or pitcher; discard solids in strainer. Pour or ladle mixture into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.

5. Carefully place baking dish with ramekins on oven rack. Pour boiling water into dish taking care not to splash water into ramekins until water reaches 2/3 height of ramekins. Bake until centers are just barely set and instant read thermometer registers 170 to 175 (between 25 to 35 minutes). Start checking temperature about 5 minutes before recommended time.

6. Transfer ramekins to wire rack. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Set ramekins on rimmed baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold at least 4 hours and up to 4 days.

7. Uncover ramekins. If condensation has collected on custards, place paper towel on surface to soak up moisture. Sprinkle each with 1 tsp turbinado sugar, tilt and tap ramekins for even coverage. Ignite torch and carmelize sugar. Refrigerate ramekins uncovered to rechill 30 to 45 minutes (but no longer). Serve.