Crème Brûlée

Directions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees and place 8 4-ounce ramekins on a baking pan.
• Heat the cream over boiling water and stir in the sugar.
• Beat the egg yolks until light. Add a small amount of hot cream to the beaten eggs and stir to temper. Then slowly pour the remaining cream over the eggs. Stir vigorously—do not whisk. Stir in the vanilla and strain the mixture into the ramekins.
• Add about ½ inch of water to the baking pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, depending on the size of the ramekins, up to 30 minutes. Do not overbake; the custard will continue to cook from retained heat when removed from the oven.
• Chill (unless serving warm). Before serving, cover the surface of each custard with brown sugar. Place the ramekins on ice in a large baking pan and place under the broiler until the sugar is browned and melted. Serve immediately, or chill again and serve.