Homemade Crème Brûlée - Oh yes you can!

This weekend I bought a mini blow torch.

Why might you ask? Well, so I could attempt to make crème brûlée at home, of course! And guess what? It tasted outrageously good. 

I mean, crème brûlée is always good.... but fresh crème brûlée is out of this world! 

Guess what else? It's pretty easy too.... 

As long as you have a small blow torch on hand ; )

Read on for the recipe... 

Warning: Crème brûlée is in no way 'good for you'. Good for your mood, yes. Good for your soul, probably. Good for weight control.... most definitely not! 

Still worth it? Absolutely!

Crème Brûlée

(6-8 servings)

1 cup whipping cream

3 cups 10% cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

10 egg yolks

3/4 cup + 3 Tbs superfine sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Heat the cream and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the vanilla. Bring to an almost boil, but remove from heat before boiling.

3. Briskly beat the egg yolks with a whisk for a good 3-4 minutes.

4. To 'temper' the eggs, slowly add the hot cream mixture, approximately 1/4 cup at a time, mixing constantly  (to prevent the eggs from cooking). As the mixture warms you can add the cream in more rapidly.

5. Poor into ramekins, and place them into a baking tray partially filled with water (so that the water reaches halfway up the outside of the ramekins).

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the custard is set, but not brown.

7. Remove the ramekins and allow to cool slightly on the counter, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

8. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle a layer of superfine sugar on top of each custard (approx 1/2 a  Tbs). Then using a handheld kitchen torch, lightly burn the sugar layer into a firm candy (brown not black). 

Serve immediately with spoons. Crack open and prepare for complete bliss!

note: this recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook

The original recipe asks for 4 cups heavy cream (35% cream), but I used 10% instead. I didn't think all that fat was necessary... I mean, there's already 10 egg yolks in it!! Believe me, this will be creamy enough! Next time I'll drop the whipping cream all together, I think.