Cr?me br??e is one of my favourite desserts ? a guaranteed hit whenever I include it in a meal. Learning how to make this classic, creamy custard is really quite simple as long as the technique is right.

Many custard recipes call for scalding the cream. This shortens the cooking time ? the sugar dissolves completely in the base custard before it’s cooked. When you see small bubbles at the side of the pan, the cream is hot enough. Do not dump the sugar onto the eggs and let it sit, as this causes the yolks to form into hard little lumps. Add the sugar while whisking.

Custards should be cooked in a water bath, covered with a sheet of foil to protect them from the harsh, direct oven heat. An oven hotter than 325?F is asking for trouble; custards need gentle heat.

It’s best to check the custards early, as they continue to cook a little after taken from the oven. The test for doneness is to wiggle it around. It should be wobbly, but not soupy. If a knife is inserted and it comes out clean, then the custard is overcooked. If this happens, remove the ramekins immediately from the water bath and put them into an ice water bath. This helps to bring the temperature down and stops any further cooking.

Cr?me br??e

Ingredients: 1 quart heavy cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup sugar; 10 egg yolks; a pinch of salt. For the caramel topping: 1/2 cup sugar

Method: Use 6oz ramekins. Heat oven to 325?F. Heat cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until scalded (you’ll see small bubbles on the sides of the pan). In a bowl, slowly whisk the sugar into the yolks and eggs. Slowly temper the hot cream into the sugar and yolk mixture. Strain through a sieve into a pitcher. Stir in salt and vanilla essence. Arrange ramekins in a deep baking dish. Pour mixture into ramekins. Fill baking dish with water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the dish with foil. Bake until just set, 25-50 mins. Remember to start checking early. Baking time will depend on the thickness and depth of your ramekins and baking dish. Remove the baking dish from oven and let ramekins cool in water bath. Remove, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. For topping, use a propane blowtorch or a grill.