Author Notes
I found the basic recipe about 35 years ago in an issue of Mc Call's magazine that belonged to my mother. I adapted it and served it for Christmas to great raves and have been serving to happy people ever since. —Lydiac
Ingredients
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8
large eggs
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2 cups
heavy whipping cream
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1 tablespoon
vanilla bean paste (Nielsen-Massey)
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1 teaspoon
freshly ground nutmeg
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2 tablespoons
sugar
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3 tablespoons
sugar for caramelizing the tops of the custards
Directions
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Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
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Place the whipping cream in a medium saucepan and heat just until the liquid is scalded. It will have steam rising from it and the surface will be shimmering.
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Take the cream off the heat and add the tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, the teaspoon of nutmeg and the 2 tablespoons of sugar.
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Break the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk them with an electric mixer until they are thick, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the cream mixture.
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Pour the cream mixture into 8 ramekins and place the dishes into a larger baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish, enough to bring the water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place in the hot oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a tester comes clean.
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When the creme brulee is done, remove the custards from oven and cool. Place in the fridge overnight.
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Before serving, spread the sugar evenly over the tops of each custard. I use a micro torch to caramelize the tops.
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