Creme BruleePF

CREME BRULEE

What is needed:

Small saucepan

Medium saucepan

Small bowl

Whisk

Small paring knife

Measuring cup for liquids

Measuring spoons

4 ramekins

9 x 13 baking dish

Small pitcher

Aluminum foil

Brulee torch; not needed

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar

2 extra large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or one vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.

In small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and 2 Tablespoons of sugar. If using vanilla bean, cut vanilla bean lengthwise to expose seeds. Add split vanilla bean to cream and sugar. Stir occasionally until small bubbles form around the egdes of the cream. About 5-6 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and set cream aside.

In small bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and light yellow.

Put small saucepan with cream over low heat. While whisking constantly, add about 1 Tablespoon of egg mixture to cream. Then add 2 Tablespoons of egg mixture to cream. While continuously whisking, slowly add remaining egg mixture to cream. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place ramekins in 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour boiling water into a small pitcher. Divide creme brulee mixture evenly into ramekins. Carefully pour boiling water into baking dish avoiding spilling into ramekins. Cover baking dish with foil. Place baking dish into oven on middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes. Check brulee's for doneness by carefully and gently tapping with a wooden spoon the side of one ramekin. The center of the creme brulee should appear to jiggly like a gelatin. Remove baking dish from oven. Remove foil from baking dish. Carefully remove ramekins from baking dish. Let cool for 15 minutes. Place creme brulee's into the refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours.

Remove creme brulee's from refrigerator. Divide 1/3 cup sugar over the top of the creme brulee's. With creme brulee torch, brown sugar on top. If you do not have a torch, put oven on high broil. Put creme brulee's on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet on high shelf of oven and broil sugar until bubbly and slightly brown. Times wll vary. Watch closely so sugar does not burn.

When sugar has been browned, serve.

Serving suggestions:

Top creme brulee's with powdered sugar or fresh berries like raspberries or blueberries.

Helpful hints:

When adding egg mixture to cooked cream, add a little at a time to temper the eggs, whisking constantly. Otherwise, you will end up with scrambled eggs and cream.

Although pure vanilla extract works wonderfully, using a fresh vanilla bean adds a richer vanilla taste. If you use a fresh vanilla bean, rinse after taking out of the cream, pat dry. Add 1 cup of sugar to a small plastic storage container. Add dried vanilla bean to sugar and stir to cover vanilla bean with sugar and store. The vanilla-flavored sugar will add a special touch to cereal, coffee, or any sweet dish.

CAUTION when handling baking dish from the oven and ramekins. THEY ARE VERY HOT!

You do not need a creme brulee torch to make this recipe. The broiler will work just fine. Open the oven door slightly so you can keep an eye on the sugar. As soon as the sugar begins to bubble, remove from oven to prevent burning the sugar.

The creme brulee's, without sugar topping, can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.