The most perfect dessert - Creme Brulee

I was browsing through the recipes and this is one that I just can’t believe that I haven’t already posted. This recipe is so simple, so classic and just absolutely yummy. I know that this is really the pot calling the kettle black for I am forever tinkering around with recipes but if I hear that any of you have been messing around with this I’ll haunt you for the rest of your days. This is perfection, sublime, it needs nothing else. Don’t you dare even think about adding fruit, star anise, lemongrass urrgghhhhhh.

You will need PER PERSON:

1 egg yolk
100ml fresh thick cream
20g caster sugar
Vanilla pod (use about one per six portions)


And then you need to:

In a saucepan over a medium-low flame heat the fresh thick (double) cream with the caster sugar.

Carefully slice a vanilla pod lengthways and with the edge of a small sharp knife scrape out all the tiny little seeds. Put the vanilla seeds in with the cream and sugar and give it a stir.

In a large glass bowl put the egg yolks. Place the bowl on a folded tea-towel to prevent it slipping.

When the cream and sugar is simmering and the sugar has all melted and dissolved remove from heat and let to stand for just about a minute or so. With a whisk in one hand gently pour the liquid in a steady slow stream into the eggs and stir with the whisk at the same time. Gently whisk, don’t beat the eggs.

Once all incorporated pour from the bowl into a jug and then carefully pour through a very fine sieve into small ramekin dishes.

Place the dishes on a deep baking tray and then carefully pour boiling water into the tray until half way up the sides of the ramekin dishes.

Cook in 150C/300F oven for 30 minutes though they might need a little longer. When you give them a little shake they shouldn’t be too wobbly in the middle.

Remove from the oven and let cool. They can sit around quite happily out of the fridge for two or three hours.

Sprinkle 1 tsp caster sugar over each pot and then using a blowtorch (or under a very hot grill) melt and brown the sugar on top. A word of warning, if using a blowtorch the difference between golden brown and black is about 2 seconds!