This Cracking Crème Brûlée Recipe Will Fool Your Friends Into Thinking You Can Actually Cook

Ingredients

2 vanilla pods
200ml whole milk
5 egg yolks
70g granulated sugar
300ml double cream
The zest of 1 lime
100g caster sugar

Creme brûlées are a brilliant summer dessert - dead easy to make and mighty impressive looking. If you’re having friends over they’re a great way to impress everyone without it taking up your entire day! The only specialist equipment you need are 6 ramekin dishes and a kitchen torch (which is perfect for a spot of manly kitchen action!).

Instructions

Step 1

Start by getting your ingredients together and preheat the oven to 200°C.

Step 2

Then put the milk in a saucepan and split the vanilla pods lengthways and scraping out the seeds. Throw the seeds and the empty pods in with the milk.

Step 3

Bring to the boil and leave to cool down and infuse for about 30 minutes.

Step 4

While the milk is cooling down, separate the egg yolks into a mixing bowl.

Step 5

Add the granulated sugar and whisk until smooth.

Step 6

Pour the double cream into the mixing bowl along with the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk again until you have a smooth mixture.

Step 7

Once the milk has cooled, pass it through a sieve into the mixing bowl.

Step 8

Use a cheese grater to add a little lime zest to each of the 6 ramekin dishes. This will give your crème brûlée a tangy, zesty taste.

Step 9

Ladle the custard evenly into the ramekin dishes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crème brûlée is just wobbly.

Step 10

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Step 11

Leave to cool slightly and then sprinkle the top of the crème brûlée with a generous helping of caster sugar.

Step 12

Using your kitchen or blow torch, caramelise the sugar. Hold the torch 2-3 inches away and use a sweeping motion until the sugar starts to bubble.

Step 13

Leave for a few minutes so the tops harden et voilà!

And there you have it - a delicious summer dessert, perfect served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a day like today! If you liked this recipe, you can check out more of Brendan's recipes on his blog Nothing To Eclair, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.