Creme Brulee Recipe

This creme brulee recipe is a well known, traditional type of french dessert - creamy custard with a crunchy, caramel topping. Correctly spelt, it is crème brûlée, meaning "burnt cream" in french.

I was initially nervous about making this myself, thinking it was a bit complicated to make. But it's not! The only tricky part is getting the top to caramelise.

The best thing to do is buy a blowtorch (I bought one cheaply through ebay). Or, you can try using the grill/broiler but make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn, and you'll need to turn them so they caramelise evenly.

This recipe serves 3-4 people; if you're having a dinner party you could just double the quantities and make more.

Crème Brûlée Recipe

Heat the oven to 160C/Gas Mark 3.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.

Cut open the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and put them in a small pan with the double cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and then remove from heat.

Stir the cream into the egg yolks/sugar mixture.

Divide the mixture into ramekins and put them in a roasting tin. Fill up the tin with hot water, until the water level is about 3/4 up the side of the ramekins.

Put the tin in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, then remove from oven.

Sprinkle granulated sugar on top of each creme brulee, and blitz with the blow torch. Leave to cool before serving.

Et voilà! A creme brulee recipe that will wow your guests (and yourself!)