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Ingredients
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Main Ingredients
Method
Preparation Instructions
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
Prepare the Vanilla Cream
In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and the seeds from the Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla bean (scrape them out with a knife). Add the whole bean to the mixture and heat over medium heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.
Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
Combine Mixtures
Remove the vanilla bean from the cream mixture. Gradually pour the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Strain and Pour
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to ensure a smooth custard. Pour the custard into ramekins.
Chill
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Caramelize the Sugar
When ready to serve, sprinkle a thin, even layer of brown sugar over the top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown. If you don’t have a torch, you can place them under a broiler for a few minutes but watch closely to prevent burning.
Serve
Let the caramelized sugar cool for a minute until hardened. Serve immediately and enjoy!