Creme Brulee

Recipe from Brian Swenson

This recipe is good for 4 ramekins

6 egg yolks

6 tablespoons white sugar, divided (4T for mixture, 2T for topping)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons white sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.
3. Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined. After pouring a little of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture and whisking briskly, pour the cream/yolk mixture into the rest of the cream and whisk. There will be a lot of foam on the top. Skim this off with a strainer and throw away.
4. Pour the hot mixture into individual serving dishes or ramekins and place in a baking dish. Set the dish with the ramekins in it on your oven shelf, then pour hot water in the dish so the water comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 375 anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. (our ramekins are shallow, less cooing time) They are done when you shake the dish gently and the brûlées jiggle just slightly in the middle. The jiggle shouldn't be a liquid jiggle, but more of a gelatin-like jiggle.
5. Remove from oven and let the brûlées cool in the water bath for about 15 minutes, then remove and put the brûlées in the refrigerator to chill.
6. In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler or use propane torch until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.