Crème Brûlée

Served in every Brasserie and Bistro in France from Calais to Marseilles, the Crème Brûlée (literally translated: “burnt cream”) is a simple French classic for a very good reason! Four humble ingredients, egg yolk, cream, sugar and vanilla are transformed into an incredible, delicious dish that is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. Once eaten, never forgotten, the simple Crème Brûlée is a taste of France that is incredibly easy to make at home. In this recipe, we’ll take you through step by step and show you how to make this delicious dessert. So bring out your hidden French and cook up a storm with this brilliant little dish!

Preheat the oven to 200℃
This recipe can be made using a food blender / processor or by hand in a bowl with a whisk. The method described here, assumes you’ll be using a food blender.
Separate the yolks from the whites and place the yolks into the blender. Retain the whites for making a meringue later!
Add the sugar, cream, and vanilla paste to the blender and mix on the fastest speed until all combined.
Pour the mixture into six individual ramekins and place the ramekins into a steel tray or lasagne dish. Pour boiling water into the tray until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the tray with foil.
Place the foil-covered tray in the oven and bake for 30mins at 200℃.
Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and transfer the ramekins onto another tray and leave to cool for a few minuted before placing them in the fridge. They can remain uncovered. Leave them in the fridge until just before you want to serve the brûlée, but they should cool for at least an hour.
About 10 minutes before you plan to serve the crème brûlées, remove them from the fridge and place about 2 teaspoons of demerara sugar on the top of each ramekin. Shake the ramekin in a circular motion on the tabletop to distribute the sugar evenly.
Using a chef’s blowtorch, gently cook the sugar on top of the brûlées until it is melted and a dark brown colour. Return the ramekins to the fridge for 5 minutes or so to cool.
Serve on their own or with some fresh raspberries on the side and be amazed as to how such a small number of simple ingredients can be transformed into something so incredibly delicious!