Crème Brûlée

I can remember the first time I ever ate this most sublime of puddings (when done properly). I can even remember the dish. Mum had made them in metal bowls. So greedy were we that having left one for Dad to come home to, we carefully transplanted the centre section into a smaller ramekin and ate the edge. Much avoiding giggling when Dad returned. It became such a favourite that Mum used to make it as a treat when I returned home from boarding school. On one occasion I dipped my finger in to one of the ramekins when it was cooling and spoiled the glaze. Undeserved (for it had been my fault), I was asked whether I wanted the glaze redone and I said yes: the crackly crunching top of this is part of the whole point of the pudding, a little like the crust on clotted cream. There is a video recording from the early 1980s of my tucking in to one of these and playing to the camera when doing so. For some reason, this is almost always disappointing when eaten in a restaurant, with only one exception, namely a restaurant called Buggins which used to be on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich. The following recipe comes from Aunt CeCe, minus raspberries which were added: I share her view that this pudding should not be mucked around with!

Ingredients:

600 ml/18 fl oz double cream

1 vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

60 g/2 oz demerara sugar

Method:

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 140C/275F/gas mark 1.

PLACE THE CREAM and vanilla pod in a pan and bring to the boil. Off the heat, remove the pod, split it and scrape the seeds into the cream. Discard the pod. Add vanilla extract, if using.

LIGHTLY WHISK THE YOLKS and sugar until pale. Whisk in the hot cream; pass through a sieve.

POUR THE CUSTARD into 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting tin, pouring in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Cook for 45 – 50 min or until set. Cool.

TO CARAMELISE THE TOP, sprinkle with sugar and place under a very hot grill until the sugar melts and turns golden. Alternatively, use a cook’s blow torch, as many domestic grills are simply not hot enough. Chill for 30 min.