Vanilla Creme Brulee

This year for Mother's Day I decided I would cook dinner instead of us going out. I know this might seem a bit odd as on this day we are supposed to relax and have lots of treats. BUT I actually really enjoy cooking and my most relaxing thing is to spend time in the kitchen. So for dinner I made Lamb Shanks in a Port sauce, creamy Potato Mash and Pea Puree (my new favourite way to have peas). Dessert was this delicious Vanilla Creme Brulee which is one of my favourite desserts. It also happens to be Harry's favourite too so he was thrilled when I told him this was what I was making. After looking at a ton of recipes I ended up making up my own (taking a bit from here and there) and boy oh boy was it good! No it is most certainly NOT WW-friendly but hey, it was Mother's Day!


Vanilla Creme Brulee


500ml cream
100ml milk
5 egg yolks
100 g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp good vanilla extract (I would have used beans or vanilla paste but have just run out so had to use a fantastic extract instead)


Heat the oven to 140-150 C


Gently heat the milk and cream so it is almost to the boil. Add in the vanilla.


Whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until pale, then slowly add the heated cream/milk mixture. It's a good idea to temper the eggs first by adding in a bit of the heated milk and mixing it in first. This means you are less likely to cook the eggs than if you added all the hot cream at once. 


Sieve into a clean pot and heat gently stirring all the time until the custard  starts to thicken. Pour into ramekins (I got 4 good sized ones but it could have stretched to 5). Put into a bain marie (which is a water bath)....basically you put the ramekins into a bigger roasting dish and pour in hot water until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.


Bake about 20-30 mins until the centres have a little bit of wobble to them when you gently jiggle them.


Remove to cool then put into the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (but preferably overnight). 


When you are ready to serve sprinkle the cold custards with icing sugar. I have used caster sugar in the past but it takes longer to caramelise than icing sugar. Go over the top with the blow torch until melted and crunchy.


Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!