Hungree Girl: Crème Brûlée

There is absolutely nothing like a good Crème Brûlée. Absolutely nothing. When its executed properly, it's elegant yet delicious simplicity easily makes it one of the best desserts on the planet. Usually when I think of this dessert, I think of over priced restaurants that slap one at the top of the dessert menu in an attempt to look fancy. The sad thing is, while it is such an easy and simplistic dessert, it can go so, horribly wrong. Funny enough, a bad crème brûlée experience the other night was what inspired me to make a good one. It was just so bad and while it looked promising, it tasted like scrambled eggs, EW. I couldn't have one of my favorite desserts leaving a less then brilliant note on my palette. I didn't think it was fair to leave it not in my good graces so I basically HAD to make one, I owed it to myself. For those of you who aren't familiar or for those who are and just want a deliciously descriptive recap, a crème brûlée is a soft thick egg and cream custard that gets topped with caramelized sugar that creates a hard sugar crust. Honestly, it's beyond. You may think this dessert is for fancy restaurants to make, but I'm telling you, they have nothing on you. So break out that blow torch or fire up that broiler cause baby it's time to brûlée!

Crème Brûlée, *recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, serves 8

Ingredients
4 cups cream
1 tbs GOOD vanilla extract
10 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar + more for finishing

Recipe: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Pour the cream and vanilla into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat. In a heatproof medium bowl, combine the yolks and 3/4 cup sugar and whisk until thick. Strain the cream into a bowl. Whip the yolks while you VERY slowly drizzle one cup of cream into the mixture at a time. SLOW is the key, you don't want to cook the eggs! Repeat with the rest of the cream.
Place ramekins in a casserole or baking dish. Fill the dish with water so the water goes half-way up the side of the ramekins.

Lightly grease the ramekins. Pour custard mixture into ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes, just until the sides set and the center is still a little jiggly. Don't allow to get brown!

Cool the ramekins on the counter until room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days. **the chilling step is important, the flavors come together and the custard consistency isn't fully achieved until after chilling**
To serve, preheat broiler or break out the blow torch. Sprinkle 1 tbs of sugar over the top of each custard.

Put under the broiler for about 2 minutes, or work your magic with a blowtorch. I like mine crispy, but preference is all up to you.
Let sit for 3 minutes before serving. Bite, feel reborn with each taste, and enjoy.
warning: very photogenic dessert = many pix. DEAL wit it