Crème Brûlée
A baked custard with a thin cap of caramelized sugar that shatters when you tap it with a spoon — the most satisfying sound in dessert. The custard itself is nothing more than egg yolks, cream, sugar, and vanilla, baked low and slow in a water bath until just set. The brûlée happens at the very end with a kitchen torch or a very hot broiler.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 6-ounce ramekins in a deep baking dish.
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Heat cream with the vanilla bean (pod and seeds) and salt in a saucepan until steaming. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 15 minutes for maximum vanilla flavor. Remove the pod.
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Whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick, about 1 minute. Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks while whisking constantly.
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Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Divide among the ramekins. Pop any surface bubbles with a toothpick — you want a smooth top.
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Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the custards are set at the edges but still wobble in the center.
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Remove ramekins from the water bath. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
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To serve: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over each custard. Torch the sugar with a kitchen torch, holding the flame 2 to 3 inches from the surface, until it melts, bubbles, and turns deep amber. Let the caramel harden for 1 minute, then serve.