VANILLA BEAN CREME BRULEE

1 cup heavy cream

2 egg yolks

2 TBS sugar

0.5 vanilla bean

4 tsp. fine raw sugar or granulated sugar for carame

1 extra sugar to dust berries

12 raspberies

This will make 4 espresso cups and 1 small 3 inch ramekin...you can easily double it!

Preheat oven to 300° F and have a pot of hot water ready. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and ¼ cup sugar(I also add the vanilla pod); cook, stirring, until steam rises, 4-5 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla extract(or scraped vanilla seeds from pod) until blended.

Gradually pour hot cream into yolks, stirring constantly.

Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, divide among espresso cups/ramekins.

Line a 3" deep baking pan with a clean kitchen towel(I skipped this and it worked just as well), place espresso cups/ramekins in pan, and add hot water to fill pan halfway up the side of the ramekins. Cover loosely with foil. Bake until set, 30-35 minutes, until the centers of the custards shake gently when the pan is shifted(you don't want them to be watery). I noticed that my espresso cups needed more time(5 -10 minutes) since they were taller than the ramekins.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool slightly.Remove the ramekins from the pan, cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly 3 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, sprinkle the custards with 2 tsp. sugar and caramelize the topping with a kitchen torch, or place the ramekins under a broiler, 2-3 inches from the heat source for 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully. Sprinkle some berries with granulated sugar and place on top just before serving.

Cuisine: French

Main Ingredient: cream