Crème Brûlée
Técnica

A very old, and traditionally French dessert, historically served at Trinity College, Cambridge, with the college crest burnt into the sugar.

Can be served with wafer-thin butter biscuits, very good for clearing the ramekin with after, although some puritanical chefs would advise against this, claiming that it detracts from the final effect. They have, obviously, overcome their gluttony.

Ingredienti:
Técnica
  1. Boil the cream with the vanilla pod, then remove from the heat. Remove the pod and scrape the seeds into the cream, discarding the pod.
  2. While the cream is boiling, quickly combine the egg yolks and caster sugar with a hand whisk until smooth.
  3. Whisk the cream slowly into the egg and sugar mixture.
  4. Raise a pan of water until it simmers, then turn the heat to low. Sit the bowl with the above mixture above the heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens to the consistency of single cream (probably about 15 minutes).
  5. Sieve the custard (the result of the above) into ramekins, and then set these in a roasting tin. The sieving is easiest if done with a ladel and a tea-strainer rather than a full-sized sieve. One ladel is also approximately one ramekin, so it also provides a convenient measure of how much custard is left.
  6. Pour warm water into the tin until it is approximately ¾ of the way up the sides of the ramekin. Bake for between 20 and 30 minutes, until set. Test by removing one of the ramekins from the tin, and shaking gently; you should expect slight movement (if it is still runny, cook for another five minutes and repeat. When the custards are ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool, but do not refigerate.
  7. When the custards are cool, dust a thin layer of the icing sugar over the top and heat with a blow torch until the sugar has just dissolved. Add another thin layer and repeat, it will start to bubble and colour, and stop just as it starts to turn golden in colour. Add a third layer, and stop the blow torch just as it turns deep golden brown. You can add another layer, but be careful as less is more here; to find what works best for you experiment.
  8. Allow the top to set, then serve.

    Nota Bene: the custards can be refrigerated once properly cooled, and then the topping added at the last minute. This provides a contrast between the cold custard and warm sugar. A cappucino would follow beautifully.
    Makes enough for six brûlées.


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