Ultimate crème brûlée

Instructions

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1. 1 Heat the oven to 450F/gas 4. Put four large ramekins in a deep roasting pan that's at least 3in deep (or a large, deep cake pan) – it should enable a cookie sheet to sit well above the ramekins when laid across the top of the pan.
2. 2 Pour the cream into a medium pan with the milk.
3. 3 Lay the vanilla pod on a board and slice lengthwise through the middle using a sharp knife to split it in two. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla pod in as well, and set aside.
4. 4 Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for 1 min using a hand mixer until paler in color and a bit fluffy.
5. 5 Put the pan with the cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear around the edge, take the pan off the heat.
6. 6 Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a whisk as you do so and scraping out the seeds from the pan.
7. 7 Set a fine sieve over a large, wide heatproof jug or bowl, and pour the hot mixture through to strain it, encouraging any stray vanilla seeds through at the end.
8. 8 Give the mixture a stir and leave to leave to sit for 10 mins.
9. 9 Pour in enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about ½in up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins so you fill them up right to the top – it’s easier to spoon in the last little bit.
10. 10 Put them in the oven and lay a cookie sheet over the top of the pan so it sits well above the ramekins and completely covers them, but not the whole pan, leaving a small gap at one side to allow air to circulate.
11. 11 Bake for 30-35 mins until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently shake the roasting pan and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like Jell-O in the middle. Don’t let them get too firm.
12. 12 Lift the ramekins out of the roasting tin with oven mitts and set them on cooling rack to cool for a couple of minutes, then refrigerate to cool completely. This can be done overnight without affecting the texture.
13. 13 When ready to serve, wipe around the top edge of the dishes, sprinkle 1½ tsp sugar over each ramekin, and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover.
14. 14 Spray with a little water using a fine spray mister (the sort you buy in a craft shop) to just dampen the sugar – then use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelize it. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep moving it around until caramelized. Serve when the brûlée is melted and glassy looking, or within an hour or two (keep them chilled).