Master the Art of Vanilla Crème Brûlée

1. Prep the Oven & Ramekins:

   • Preheat the oven to 140°C (or 120°C fan/gas 1).
   • Set 2 ramekins in a deep baking dish (called a bain-marie).

2. Infuse the Cream:

   • In a small saucepan, pour in 250ml double cream and 75ml full-fat milk.
   • Slice a vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife, adding both the seeds and the pod to the cream mixture.
   • Heat the mixture on medium heat until it begins to boil (you'll see bubbles on the edges), then cover and let it sit for 10 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.

3. Whisk the Egg Yolks:

   • In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks and 3 tbsp caster sugar using an electric whisk for about 1 minute until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
   • Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix.

4. Combine Cream and Egg Mixture:

   • Carefully pour the hot cream mixture (from the saucepan) into the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk as you do to avoid curdling.
   • Strain the mixture into a clean bowl using a fine sieve to remove any vanilla pod bits or foam.

5. Pour into Ramekins:

   • Pour the smooth custard mixture into your ramekins.
   • Fill the baking dish with hot water (from the tap), about 1.5cm up the sides of the ramekins.

6. Bake the Custards:

   • Place the ramekins into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes at 140°C (or until the custard is just set but still wobbly in the center).
   • Once done, remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool for 5 minutes at room temperature. Then, refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight if you prefer).

7. Caramelize the Top:

   • Preheat the grill (broiler) to high.
   • Take the ramekins out of the fridge and sprinkle a thin layer of caster sugar (about 3-4 tbsp) on top of each crème brûlée.
   • Place under the grill for about 2 minutes, watching closely as the sugar melts and turns golden brown.
   • If you have a kitchen blowtorch, you can use that instead to caramelize the sugar evenly.

8. Serve & Enjoy:

   • Let the crème brûlées cool for a few minutes after caramelizing the sugar.
   • Serve them immediately or within 2 hours for the perfect texture and crunch.

Bonus: Almond Puff Pastry Sticks – The Perfect Pairing

1. Prep Puff Pastry:

   • Preheat your oven to 190°C (or 170°C fan/gas 5).
   • Roll out half a sheet of puff pastry to about 3mm thickness.

2. Add Almonds:

   • Brush the puff pastry with half a beaten egg.
   • Sprinkle finely chopped almonds generously over the pastry.

3. Cut and Twist:

   • Cut the pastry into 12mm wide strips (about 10cm long).
   • Twist each strip 5 times and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake & Serve:

   • Bake the pastry sticks for about 12-15 minutes, until golden and crisp.
   • Once baked, dust with icing sugar and serve warm alongside the crème brûlée.

Serving Tip:

These almond puff pastry sticks are an optional but delicious addition to your crème brûlée. The combination of creamy, smooth brûlée and crisp, sweet almond pastry sticks will impress your guests! Enjoy the indulgent dessert.