Crème Brûlée

2 c heavy cream
5 egg yolks
6 T granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 1⁄2 t vanilla bean paste
4 T granulated sugar for topping

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place 6 6-oz or 8 4-oz crème brulée dishes on a sheet pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine cream and 3 T sugar. Heat gently on medium until the cream starts to bubble around the edges of the pan. Turn off heat, add vanilla bean paste and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk yolks and remaining sugar and salt. Mix briskly until the mixture turns a pale yellow.

Temper the yolk mixture by adding the hot cream mixture into the yolks a little at a time, whisking constantly. Continue in this manner until you’ve added all the cream mixture into the yolks.

Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a measuring cup. This is to remove any bits of cooked egg so you’ll have a perfectly smooth crème brûlée.

Pour or ladle custard into the crème brulée dishes. Place the pan in the oven and pour hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.

Bake until custards are set (about 40 minutes) and they tremble slightly in the middle when shaken. Don’t overcook and let them get too firm.

Remove dishes from the hot water bath and let them cool on a wire rack for up to 30 minutes. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

To serve, sprinkle about 1 t sugar over each crème. Use a blow torch to caramelise.