Farm Chef recipe: Crème brûlée
What better way to finish a meal than with a classic 1980s dessert? So often revered, so often sidestepped by home cooks, this little number is fantastic when you get it right.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 500ml/18fl oz double cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 6 free-range egg yolks
- 100g/4oz caster sugar (plus extra for the topping)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas 2.
- Pour the cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into the cream.
- Bring the cream to boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- In a separate heatproof bowl, beat the sugar and egg yolks together until well mixed.
- Slowly add the cream to the egg mixture, mixing as you go.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a large jug, and then use this to fill six ramekins to about two-thirds full.
- Place the ramekins into a large roasting tray and pour in enough cold tap water to come halfway up their outsides.
- Place the tray on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until around the outer edge of each ramekin is starting to set.
- Remove the ramekins from the water and set aside to cool to room temperature. Chill until needed.
- Just before serving, sprinkle one level teaspoon of caster sugar evenly over the surface, then grill on a high temperature until golden brown and serve.
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