Creme Brulee

After many requests, I've finally posted this recipe.  The secret to a great creme brulee is the vanilla bean.  You have to remember that this dessert is found in fancy restaurants and you pay top dollar for this, which means, if you want to duplicate what's in the restaurants, spend the extra money for a whole vanilla bean!  You will not regret it.  Otherwise, you're looking at a flan or custard recipe if you settle for the vanilla extract. Whole vanilla beans are about $10-$20 per jar and can be found in your local grocer. 

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split, & scraped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar + sprinkling on top
• 5 large egg yolks
• Pot of boiling water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium size pot, add heavy cream, and set to low heat.  With a sharp paring knife, split vanilla bean in half lengthwise.  With the tip of the knife, scrape vanilla seeds within the pod and dip it into the heavy cream.  After all seed are extracted, put the whole vanilla pod into the cream as well.  With a wooden spoon smash pod within the cream and heat until steaming bubbles form around the edges.  Take out vanilla pod and then take off heat.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until sugar is dissolved.  Whisking constantly, SLOWLY add cream mixture (do not stop whisking or dump all cream mixture into egg mixture at once, otherwise you will have scrambled eggs).  Pour mixture into ramekins and set in a deep baking dish.  Place baking dish into oven and then pour boiling water around the ramekins until the water reaches 1/2 way up from the ramekins.  Bake for 35 minutes or until mixture is firm to the touch.  Cool in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Before serving, sprinkle sugar on the top. With a torch, scorch until top is crispy browned.