Vanilla creme brulee (Cream brulée)

Creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts, soft, delicious and I love that sugar burned on the surface.
I have done it other times but this recipe seemed simply delicious.
It is for any season or after any meal, it is always pleasant to eat.

Source : Cooking (New York Times) (Mark Bittman)

Ingredients

2 cups heavy or half and half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean)
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
3/4 cups of sugar more for topping

Method

Heat oven to 170°c (325 F)
In a saucepan , combine cream, vanilla extractand salt and cookover low heat justy until hot. Let sit for a few minutes.
If you use vanilla bean discard now.

In a bowl beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the cream into the mixture, then pour sugar -egg mixture into cream and stir.
Pour into four ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish , fill dish with boiling water halfway up the side of dishes.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until centers are barely set. Cool completely about 2 hours.

When ready to serve , top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. If you use a torch melt the sugar carefully and form a crispy top. Allow the cream brulee to sit at least 5 minutes before serving.

Or place ramekins in a brolier 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or ever blackens a bit.

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