Crème brûlée

Mum had jaw surgery yesterday, so I made this for her. Obviously it was gone in a second. Note to self: crème brûlée makes drugged-up post-op patients really happy.

Makes 4 ramekins

For the crème brûlée:

3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 to 2/3 vanilla pod
1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream

Mum likes it!

Preheat the oven to 320°F. Place four small-medium ramekins into a small roasting tray. Put the kettle on to boil. Chop the pod into 1/2 inch chunks with a knife or scissors. Put in the bowl of a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until the pod seems finely chopped and the seeds are distributed throughout the mixture. Pour through a sieve into a jug. Pour into 4 small ramekins, working to evenly distribute between them. Place the tray into the oven and pour hot water from the kettle into the roasting tray carefully up to 1/2 way up the sides, avoiding it splashing into the ramekins. 

Bake until they still wobble when shaken but are set and have a golden crust - about 50 minutes. Remove from the water to a rack and cool. When room temperature, place into the fridge for at least four hours.

When ready to brûlée, take them out onto the side for 5 minutes to take the proper chill off them before you start. Sprinkle about a tbsp of granulated sugar over the crust, spreading it evenly and making sure it reaches the sides. Fire up your blowtorch and start melting the sugar. Keep going until it's deep golden brown and bubbling. Leave to cool for a few minutes so the pool of caramel sets then serve.