-
1
Put the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and mix well.
-
2
Warm the milk and cream together in a pan over low heat until warm to the touch.
-
3
Mix the warmed milk and cream a little at a time into the bowl from Step 1.
-
4
Mix in the vanilla beans as well.
-
5
Pour the mixture into the ramekins through a tea strainer.
-
6
Line the ramekins on a tray and fill with boiling water until about halfway up the ramekins.
-
7
Slowly steam for 50 minutes in the oven at 130C.
-
8
Once the creme brulees are cooked enough so that the surface stays intact when the ramekin is tilted, take out of the oven.
-
9
Leave to cool then chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
-
10
Once chilled enough, completely cover the surface of the creme brulees with granulated sugar.
-
11
If you can see any of the pudding underneath, it will burn so be careful.
-
12
Slowly brown the surface with a blow torch.
-
13
If it looks like it's going to burn before the sugar dissolves, give the surface 2 sprays of water.
-
14
If you don't have a blow torch, you could use the grill of a gas cooker, just make sure to keep an eye on the colour.
-
15
You can also try making the crunchy caramel in a frying pan.
-
16
When you've chilled it once more in the fridge, they're ready.
-
17
The creme brulee should keep its form when scooped out with a spoon but melts in your mouth.
-
18
I tried lots of different ways of creating the crunchy caramel surface.
-
19
From left to right are the blow torch, grill and frying pan versions.
-
20
How to make the crunchy caramel in a frying pan:
-
21
For each ramekins, add 1 heaping teaspoon of sugar to the frying pan.
-
22
It's best to make each one separately.
-
23
As you're tilting the frying pan, melt the sugar over a medium strong heat.
-
24
Once lightly browned, pour into the ramekin and swirl around so that it covers the entire surface of the pudding.
-
25
It won't have the scorched colour but will still result in a fantastic crunchy caramel.
