"diamond" Creme Brulee

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3 vanilla beans
• 1/4 lb butter
• 1 cup sugar (for topping)

Recipe

• 1 whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large stainless steel or glass bowl.
• 2 place the bowl over a large 3 or 4 quart saucepan filled with simmering water.
• 3 with the heat on low, whisk the mixture vigorously and continuously until you can form ribbons. this is where you can lift the whisk out of the mixture, write your name, and it doesnâ??t disappear for about 5 to 10 seconds. this can take as long as 30 minutes. my son and i used a black and decker gizmo and it took about 15 minutes but was somewhat messy.
• 4 slowly whisk in the cream.
• 5 split and scrape the vanilla beans into the mixture. put the vanilla beans in there too.
• 6 stir often with the whisk until the mixture can coat a spoon with only a slow drip. it will be about the consistency of vegetable oil.
• 7 remove the custard from the stove and whisk in the butter, one pat at a time.
• 8 when the butter is fully melted, strain the mixture through a sieve and transfer it into ramekins or custard cups. be sure to leave about ½ inch for the last step. you can transfer it into a bowl and chill first before putting it in ramekins.
• 9 place in refrigerator until cold.
• 10 remove the cups from the refrigerator and sprinkle sugar on top until it is about 1/8 inch thick.
• 11 heat the tops of the custard with a kitchen torch until the sugar is caramelized. (iâ??ve heard you can do this in a broiler, but iâ??ve never tried. the torch is too much fun.).