Winston’s Crème Brulee Recipe

Preparation and Baking

1. 1

   Prepare the Cream Mixture

   In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and the scraped vanilla bean along with its pod. Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Whisk Egg Yolks

   In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together until well combined and slightly pale in color.

3. 3

   Combine Mixtures

   Remove the vanilla pod from the cream mixture. Gradually whisk the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs, ensuring you add it slowly to prevent scrambling.

4. 4

   Bake

   Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pour the mixture into ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.

5. 5

   Chill

   Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

6. 6

   Caramelize the Sugar

   Before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the top of each crème brûlée. Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar until golden brown. Let it sit for a minute to harden.