Crème Brûlée

Silky vanilla custard with a perfectly caramelised sugar crust that shatters dramatically with a spoon.

Creme brulee — burnt cream — is one of the most theatrical desserts in the world, the crack of a spoon through the caramelised sugar crust being one of the great sensory pleasures of dining. The dish's origin is contested between France, England (where a similar dish called Trinity Cream has been made at Cambridge since the 17th century) and Spain (where crema catalana predates the French version). The French version uses vanilla bean and double cream — nothing else. The sugar crust must be torched to a deep amber, almost burnt, to achieve the bitter edge that contrasts with the sweet vanilla custard beneath. The wobble of the custard when removed from the oven — set at the edges, loose in the centre — is the visual indicator of perfect cooking.

Use a real vanilla bean. The custard should have a very slight wobble when removed from the oven. Refrigerate overnight. Torch the sugar until very dark amber — almost burnt.