Crème Brûlée

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).

Split the Vanilla Bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; place the seeds and pod into a saucepan with the Heavy Cream and a pinch of Salt. Warm gently until just steaming (do not boil), then remove from the heat and let the vanilla infuse for about 15 minutes.

While the cream infuses, whisk the Egg Yolks with the Caster Sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg-sugar mixture in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly to temper the yolks and create a smooth custard.

Pass the custard through a fine sieve into a jug to remove any bits of cooked egg or vanilla pod, then divide the strained custard evenly among 4–6 ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour in hot water to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (bain-marie). Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still have a slight wobble.

Remove the ramekins from the water bath, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully set and chill.

When ready to serve, sprinkle a thin, even layer of caster sugar over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar melts and forms a golden, crackly crust. If you don’t have a torch, place the ramekins under a very hot broiler for 1–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Allow the caramel to harden for a minute, then serve immediately so you can enjoy the contrast of the crisp top and the creamy custard beneath.