Creme Brulee

I'm making Creme Brulee for my family Valentines Dinner tomorrow! I am making them today and finishing them off with the sugar and kitchen torch tomorrow (that's what is so good about this recipe; you can do it up to 3 days ahead!). I've made this recipe before and it is soo good! The recipe is Ina Gartens and can be found on Food Network.com or her cookbook Barefoot in Paris (highly recommended cook book). I have had Creme Brulee before that tastes like pure scrambled eggs, which is not so good. But this recipe is perfect! I'll post pictures of the result tomorrow. I am also making brownies too, and will post that recipe next! Picture courtesy of Martha Stewart.com!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 extra-large egg
• 4 extra-large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
  *I do not add the liqueur*
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.

To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.