Créme Brûlée

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325F, with rack on lower middle position. In medium saucepan, combine cream and sugar, mixing well. Use a small knife to scrape all seeds from vanilla bean, into the saucepan. Once all seeds have been added to saucepan, add the empty vanilla bean into saucepan.

Step 2

Over medium heat, stir until sugar completely dissolves and the creamy mixture comes to a simmer. Cover pan and reduce heat to lowest setting. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and remove the empty bean and any other pieces of the bean. Set aside to let cool about 10 minutes.

Step 3

In medium bowl, whisk yolks until well blended. Very carefully and in a very slow stream, drizzle egg yolks into the cream mixture while whisking constantly, until all egg yolks are added (a mini silicone spatula really helps with getting all the egg yolks in there.)

Step 4

Place ramekins in a 9×13 pan/baking dish. Gently pour enough boiling water directly into the pan - not into the ramekins themselves - so that the hot water reaches halfway up the outsides of ramekins. This step is important for even-cooking and prevents edges of custards from cooking too fast.

Step 5

Using a ladle, evenly divide custard into ramekins. Place entire pan in oven and bake about 35 minutes. Custards should be almost set in the center when pan is gently shaken.

Step 6

Remove ramekins from baking pan and let cool to room temp - we use these silicone gloves, extremely helpful here. Chill custards in fridge for several hours, until cold throughout. This can be done up to 2 days in advance.

Step 7

When ready to serve, dab off excess moisture from top of custards. Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar over first custard, rotating it so that sugar evenly coats top. Tap excess sugar out onto second custard. Repeat until all custards have a thin, even layer of sugar on top.

Step 8

Turn blowtorch on and move flame constantly in circles over the sugar topping until golden caramel-colored bubbles appear - start with flame about 6 inches away, to get a feel for it. Place finished custards back in the fridge as you work, to allow caramelized sugar to harden. Serve chilled créme brûlée with fresh berries.