So anyway, with my new gadget finally working I (obviously!) had to make creme brulee. I scoured the internet for recipes and finally settled on Rachel Khoo's version. I only wanted to make 2 portions, so I reduced the recipe and it made just enough to fill the ramekins. I've never really made a baked custard before, but it was surprisingly easy and the mixture set beautifully. I had to wait overnight for the custards to cool, and woke up excited with the anticipation of caramelising the hell out of some sugar! I sprinkled some demerara lightly over the custards, fired up my blowtorch and watched as the sugar slowly melted into a golden layer of caramel. The satisfying crunch, as I broke through the topping with my spoon, was all the reward I needed. But yes, it tasted great too - what's not to love about creamy custard and burnt sugar? The only question now is - what can I burn next?
INGREDIENTS:
100ml double cream
70ml semi-skimmed milk (or full fat, if you have it - just don't use the skimmed stuff)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
Demerara sugar, for the topping
METHOD:
- Preheat your oven to 120'C.
- Pour the cream and milk into a pan, along with the vanilla extract, and bring to the boil before removing from the heat.
- In a bowl, combine the egg yolks and caster sugar then slowly pour in the hot cream, whisking continuously.
- Fill 2 ramekins with the custard, then place them in a roasting tin. Pour cold water into the tin so that it comes halfway up the ramekins.
- Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes, until the custard has set but still has a bit of a wobble to it.
- Allow the custards to come to room temperature, then cover with cling film (don't let the film touch the custard) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- When you're ready to serve, remove the custards from the fridge. If any condensation has formed on the top of the custards, lightly pat dry with a piece of kitchen roll.
- Sprinkle over a nice, even layer of demerara then fire up your blowtorch and heat the surface until the sugar caramelises.