Crème Brulee

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat to 140 degrees. Not quite to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for a few minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour through a strainer to remove residual from the vanilla bean. Pour the liquid into 4 large or 6 small ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the crème brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the crème brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Sprinkle raw sugar evenly on top of each of the dishes. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the crème brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.