Sara Monick's Creme Brûlée

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table® - Recipe from Sara S. Monick - a cooking instructor since 1977.  She studied with Madeleine Kamman, Jacques Pepin, Nicholas Malgieri & Giuliano Bugialli.

This Creme Brûlée recipe from Sara does not require a torch to flame up the sugar!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 piece vanilla bean, split (or 1 tsp vanilla)
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp crystallized ginger (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Heat cream and vanilla bean to a boil. Turn off heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl combine egg yolks and sugar and beat until thick and lemon colored. Slowly add the strained cream to the egg mixture. Combine well and add the ginger if desired. Pour the mixture into a buttered soufflé dish or into 6 individual soufflés.
3. Bake in a (Bain Marie=water bath) pre-heated oven for 30-45 minutes. Top should be browned and a knife inserted in center will come out clean. Remove from water and cool. Refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve carefully spread the sifted brown sugar evenly over the top of the shuffle. Preheat broiler and broil about 6 inches from the heat until sugar is caramelized. Watch carefully, or the sugar will burn. 

Cook’s Note

1. Top with berries of your choice.