I tend not to bake much. I never have. To be honest, I’m not really much of a dessert person. Growing up, we always had icecream, and occasionally homemade cookies, but that’s it. No cakes, or pies, or anything like that, unless it was a special occasion. So for me, dessert really isn’t something I think about.

But as with most things in life, there are exceptions. And this is one.

This is probably my favorite dessert.  I used to have the hardest time trying to make it. But I think I finally found a recipe that I like. I even have the propane torch to cook the sugar on the top. (It really does work better that way.)

It conveniently requires 4 egg yolks while my pizza dough recipes requires 4 egg whites.  So when I make one, I make the other.

There are two ways to make creme brulee. The more common way involves mixes the ingredients and then cooking it in a bain-marie (water bath) in the oven until the custard sets. This gives you a creme brulee that is more firmly set, and in my opinion, too “eggy.” The way I make it gives you a softer, creamier creme brulee.

Ingredients:

4 Egg Yolks
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Vanilla Bean (or vanilla extract)

1/4 Cup Raw Sugar (or regular)
optional garnish of blackberries, raspberries or strawberries

Directions:

- Beat Egg Yolks well.
- Prepare Vanilla Bean by splitting in half and scraping out seeds; save seeds and pod.
- Put Cream, Sugar and Vanilla seeds and bean into a pot and bring to a slow boil over medium heat.
- After boiling Cream, Sugar, and Vanilla for 1 Minute, pour 1/3 of mixture into Eggs, a little at a time to temper the Eggs.
- Whisk Egg and Cream Mixture together and return to pot.
- Whisk mixture in pot over medium low heat for 2 minutes.
- Strain mixture into individual serving cups. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

- Sprinkle Raw Sugar over top of each cup so that there is a thin coat on top of each cup.
- Use hand held propane torch to brown the top.  Alternatively, place in Broiler Maximum heat and keep turning so as not to burn the top. Do this until the top is golden brown. This should only take a minute or two.
- Refrigerate for another 4 Hours, Garnish with Berries. Serve Chilled.