Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Vanilla Crème Brûlée

from cooking.nytimes.com

Five simple ingredients – cream, vanilla, salt, eggs and sugar – make for an exquisitely rich and elegant dessert. Most crème brûlée recipes require the use of a small propane torch to achieve the crackly sugar top, but this version offers a simpler (and safer) solution: your oven's broiler. One thing to note: Be sure to let the custard set for several hours in the refrigerator before brûléeing the top, otherwise you'll end up with soupy custard.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy or light cream (or half-and-half)
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for topping

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt; cook over low heat just until hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then discard vanilla bean. (If using vanilla extract, add it now.)

  2. 2

    In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the vanilla cream into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir. Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish; fill dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

  3. 3

    Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until centers are barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple of days.

  4. 4

    When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer.

  5. 5

    Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within 2 hours.