Vanilla Crème Brûlée

I have only had Crème Brûlée at a restaurant one time and instantly fell in love! I saw a Crème Brûlée set at the store Bed Bath and Beyond while I was doing my bridal registry and decided to add it to my list.  Making it at home is a ton of fun.  My husband and I had a blast using the blow torch to torch the sugar on the top and I definitely recommend you buy a kit and try it too! 

Crème Brûlée, is a french dessert also known as burnt cream.  It is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base with a contrasting layer of hard caramel on top.  It is normally served cold.  Although it is a rich dessert, it taste so light and you will want to eat many spoonfuls!

Ingredients:

*4 Eggs

* 2 cups of Heavy Cream

* 1/3 cup of Granulated Sugar

* 1 1/2 tsp. of Pure Vanilla Extract (The recipe called for a Vanilla Bean, but when I went to the store to buy one they were $10.00 for just one bean! I decided I was to poor to spend that much on a vanilla bean and found out that it is okay to use pure Vanilla Extract instead).

Procedure: 

*Pre Heat even to 325 degrees

* In a medium size sauce pan, cook heavy cream and vanilla on low heat until hot, but not boiling.

* While cream is warming, seperate eggs so you just have the egg yolks (throw out the whites) 

*whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.

 * When cream is hot, pour 1/2 cup of the cream mixture into the yolk and sugar mixture and stir (this is called tempering.  This allows the egg to get use to the temperature of the cream without it scrambling). 

 

 * Pour the remaining cream mixture in with the tempered egg mixture.

* Pour the mixture through a strainer and into a clean bowl to make extra smooth.

 * Remove all air bubbles you see at the top of the mixture bu skimming them off with a spoon.

* Fill 4 Ramekins with the mixture to the top. 

* Get a 13x9 baking dish for the water bath and place 3 ramekins in the baking dish..

* Fill the baking dish with boiling water half way up the Ramekin without getting any water in the Ramekins.  Add the 4th Ramekin to the baking dish.

 * Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325 degrees.  When ti is done it will slightly jiggle if you tap it.

 * Remove the Ramekins with tongs, so you do not burn yourself.

* Cover the ramekins and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

 * When chilled and ready to eat get your blow torch ready. You will need to buy a can of Butane and fill the bottom of the torch with Butane.  

 * sprinkle some white granulated sugar on top or brown sugar (I tried both and I liked the white granulated sugar better).  

  *Torch  the sugar on the top of the Crème Brûlée until golden brown and bubbly.

 * Top with berries for decor and enjoy each bite of rich light goodness!