Crème Brûlée is a classic French dessert consisting of a rich vanilla custard base, topped with a layer of caramelized sugar that is cracked with a spoon just before eating. It is baked gently in a water bath (bain-marie).

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
20 minutes + Chilling	45 minutes	4

Part A: Ingredients

• Custard: 2 cups Heavy Cream, $1/2$ cup Granulated Sugar, 5 large Egg Yolks, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (or 1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped).
• Topping: $1/4$ cup Granulated Sugar (for sprinkling).

Part B: Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Custard

1. Preheat the oven to $300^{\circ} \text{F}$ ($150^{\circ} \text{C}$).
2. In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, vanilla extract (or bean), and half of the sugar. Heat over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Step 2: Temper and Bake

1. Slowly whisk about $1/2$ cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks (tempering).
2. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining cream in the saucepan. Stir until fully combined.
3. Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Skim off any bubbles.
4. Pour the strained custard evenly into four $6$-ounce shallow ceramic ramekins.

Step 3: The Water Bath

1. Place the ramekins into a large baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
2. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the edges of the custard are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
3. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool completely. Then, chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (preferably overnight).

Step 4: Caramelize the Top

1. Just before serving, sprinkle $1$ Tbsp of sugar evenly over the top of each chilled custard.
2. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until it turns into a crisp, dark amber layer. (If you don’t have a torch, place the ramekins briefly under a hot broiler, watching very closely.)

• Serve immediately, allowing the crisp sugar top to contrast with the cold custard.