Creme Brulee

image courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com

Probably one of the most frequent of custard desserts present on any menu is the creme brulee. It literally means "toasted cream" and is a good "vehicle" dessert platform for a variety of flavours, from simple fruit additions to diverse spice blends and other subtle infusions such as cardomom, cloves, and bay (thinking along the lines of bechamel).

You will need


750g of Double cream
15 eggs yolks
120g of Caster sugar
2 Vanilla beans split (or vanilla essence)

Cream the sugar and egg yolks till pale

Add cream and vanilla beans (or essence)

Cook the mixture out in a bain marie, whisk for 20 minutes until thick.

Once thick, pour into ramekins dishes and set in the fridge

Glaze with icing sugar and a sprinkling of water

This mix can be blended with bayleaf, these to be introduced at cook out stage

before serving toast the sugar on the top with a blowtorch to create a crunchy glaze. Alternatively they can be placed under a hot grill :)

Ideally they are well served with tuile, or similar wafer or biscuit for dipping value.