Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Name: Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract); pinch of salt; 5 large egg yolks; 1/3 cup sugar, plus about 6 tbsp for the tops

Silky vanilla bean custard baked gently in a water bath, chilled, then topped with a thin layer of sugar caramelized into a crackly glass-like crust.

Prep20 min

Cook40 min

Total1 hr

Serves6

What you'll need

9x13 glass baking dishFor casseroles and bakes

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Mixing bowl setFor mixing and marinating

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Instant-read thermometerFor knowing when meat is done

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Steps

Heat the oven to 325°F. Set six 6-oz ramekins in a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat the cream, vanilla bean and seeds and salt until steaming. Cover and steep 15 minutes; remove the pod.

Whisk the yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in the warm cream, then strain into a pitcher.

Divide among the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle; they should read about 175°F. Cool in the water, then chill at least 4 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle each custard with about 1 tbsp sugar in an even layer and caramelize with a kitchen torch (or under a very hot broiler) until deep amber. Let harden 2 minutes.

TipTilt and tap each ramekin to spread the sugar into a thin, even layer so it melts all at once into a crisp crust.