Classic Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream (double cream)
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3 oz (80g) caster sugar, plus 4 tbsp for the topping
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Place 4 ramekins (about 5 fl oz / 150ml each) in a deep baking dish and set aside.

2. Pour cream into a small saucepan. Add the vanilla bean pod and seeds (or vanilla extract). Heat over medium heat until it just begins to steam—small bubbles at the edges, not a rolling boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. This infuses the fat with vanilla flavor. If you skip the steeping, you'll taste dairy, not custard.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 3 oz (80g) sugar, and salt until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. You're dissolving the sugar and incorporating air, which helps the custard set smoothly.

4. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. Very slowly pour the warm cream into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. If you add it too fast, the heat scrambles the eggs and you'll have sweet vanilla scrambled eggs. Not the goal. Go in a thin, steady stream for the first third, then you can speed up.

5. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug. This catches any cooked egg bits and the vanilla pod remnants. Pour evenly into the 4 ramekins.

6. Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The water bath (bain-marie) insulates the custard from direct oven heat, keeping the temperature even so it sets gently rather than curdling around the edges.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the custard is set at the edges but still has a slight wobble in the center—like just-set jelly. If it looks completely solid, it's overcooked and will be grainy. Remove from the water bath immediately.

8. Cool to room temperature, then cover each ramekin loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The custard firms further as it cools and the flavor deepens.

9. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge. Blot any condensation off the top with a paper towel—water prevents the sugar from caramelizing properly. Sprinkle 1 tbsp caster sugar evenly over each ramekin, tilting to get a thin, uniform layer.

10. Using a kitchen blowtorch, caramelize the sugar in slow, circular passes, keeping the flame about 1 1/2 inches (3-4cm) from the surface. The sugar will bubble, turn amber, and harden into a glass-like crust within 30-60 seconds. Don't hold the flame in one spot or you'll burn it. If you don't have a blowtorch, see the notes below. Serve immediately.

Notes

Timing: The listed 4 hours 55 minutes covers prep, baking, and the minimum 4-hour chill. Allow extra time for cooling to room temperature before refrigerating and for caramelizing the sugar before serving. Chilling overnight takes longer.

The wobble is everything. Pull the custard from the oven when the center still jiggles like a firm blancmange. It will continue to set as it cools. Overcooked crème brûlée is grainy and weepy—it sweats liquid and the texture turns chalky.

No blowtorch? Put the sugared ramekins under a very hot oven grill (broiler) for 3-5 minutes, watching the entire time. It's less precise and can warm the custard, but it works in a pinch. The blowtorch is a cheap tool and absolutely worth buying if you make this more than once.

Make-ahead: The custards can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Only add the sugar and brûlée right before serving. Pre-brûléed custards go soggy in the fridge within an hour.

Variations: Swap vanilla for 1 tbsp good espresso powder for espresso brûlée. Add 1 tsp orange zest to the cream while steeping for a citrus version. Replace 1/3 cup (100ml) of cream with coconut cream for a Southeast Asian angle.

Pairs well with: A small scoop of Smashed Cucumber Salad is an unexpected but excellent palate cleanser between this and a rich main, or serve after Classic French Onion Soup for a fully French dinner.