Crème Brulée

Crème Brulée - name itself is like a song! A nice, mild flavored dessert! Its super silky, smooth and and easy to make. I prefer using light cream as it feels much lighter and airy when you eat. Though traditionally its made with heavy cream which makes it much richer and a little more dense. But then, it's a matter of personal taste. Just replace light with heavy cream if you want to go the traditional way!

Warning: You cannot afford to go wrong with the measurements and steps! It's simple but read and proceed :) !

You need:

Light cream – 475 ml (½ Quart)

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 tsp fine quality pure vanilla extract (this is imp!)

Sugar - ¼ cup

Large egg yolks - 3

Sugar – 2-3 Tbsp to make caramel topping.

For the topping: 1 Tbsp butter, 3-4 Tbsp sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use. (if you are using Vanilla extract, add the extract once off the flame)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color.
4. By now the cream will be warm and not boiling. Add the cream to the yolk, sugar mixture a little at a time, whisking continually, else the egg yolks will scramble. This is very 
5. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins.
6. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan.
7. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Make cure the water doesn't spill into the ramekins, while pouring or moving.
8. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 35-40 minutes. Don't wait for the center to become stiff, otherwise your crème brulee will not be silky smooth.
9. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Making the sugar caramel top, once the crème brulee is set:

1. Since I don't have a kitchen torch to brown the sugar on top like what you see in restaurants, I make my own crunchy caramel topping. 
2. Take a tablespoon of butter in a heavy bottom pan. 
3. To that add 3-4 Tbsp of sugar and a Tbsp of water. 
4. On a medium high flame, cook it till you get a caramel consistency. 
5. Once it become golden brown, reduce the flame to minimum possible and stir till it become a little darker. Make sure you don't burn it. That's when you know it has got the toffee texture. i.e.; it's not a gooey caramel but a crunchy hard toffee when it cools. Just test a little before you pour - on a cool plate drop a little caramel, and it should immediately harden.
6. Immediately drizzle on top of the crème brulee (before it cools in your pan and becomes a toffee:) )

Top fruits of your choice and serve.

*If you have a kitchen torch, nothing like it!

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Sprinkle vanilla sugar evenly on top of the crème brulee. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.