Creme Brulee

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. 2
   Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
3. 3
   Combine the cream and vanilla bean and cook over low heat just until hot to the touch (an instant-read thermometer will read 120 degrees or so).
4. 4
   Let sit for a few minutes, then discard the vanilla bean.
5. 5
   (If youre using vanilla extract, add it now.)
6. 6
   Beat the yolks and sugar together until light.
7. 7
   Stir about a quarter of the cream into this mixture, then pour the sugar-egg mixture into the cream and stir.
8. 8
   Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place the ramekins in a baking dish or roasting pan; fill the dish with boiling water halfway up the side of the dishes.
9. 9
   Bake for about 30 minutes (start checking after 20), or until the center is barely set.
10. 10
    Cool or wrap tightly and chill for up to a couple of days.
11. 11
    When youre ready to serve, set up a broiler so that the tops of the ramekins will be no more than 3 inches from the heat source; 2 inches is better.
12. 12
    (If your broiler is in your oven, it may be helpful to rest a broiling pan or even a casserole upside down on the rack to achieve the proper height.)
13. 13
    Do not preheat the broiler.
14. 14
    Cover the top of each custard with a thin layer of sugarabout a teaspoon each is right.
15. 15
    Turn on the broiler and put the ramekins under the heat; arrange them so that the heat hits the tops of all of them evenly.
16. 16
    (If necessary, brown in batches; it takes only a couple of minutes anyway.)
17. 17
    Cook until the sugar melts and blackens a bit, about 5 minutes, then remove.
18. 18
    Serve within an hour.
19. 19
    Spain: Replace the vanilla bean with the grated zest of a lemon and a cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon).
20. 20
    Remove the cinnamon stick before adding the yolks to the cream.