Caramel Creme Brulee

1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 tbsp. water
1pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and with seeds scraped and reserved
3 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the tbsp. water with quarter cup sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Swirl the pan several times while the sugar dissolves and melts.  Tend it carefully as the syrup starts to brown, removing from heat once the melted sugar is evenly golden.

Slowly pour the heavy cream into the melted sugar, stirring gently.  The mixture will bubble and the sugar will harden.  Add the vanilla bean with seeds.  Cook it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves into the cream.  Remove from the heat as soon as the cream comes to a full boil.  Cover and let it cool slightly.

In a four cup glass measuring cup, beat the egg yolks until thick and light yellow.  Gradually add the cream mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. 

Place four ramekins in a glass baking dish and divide the cream and egg yolks between them.  Add enough hot water to the baking dish to come three quarters of the way up the ramekins to create a bain-marie.

Bake the custards 40-45 minutes, or until they are set but still tremble in the middle when gently shaken. Remove from the bain-marie and chill for at least 2 hours or up to three days tightly covered. 

When ready to serve, sprinkle a tbsp. of sugar onto the custard and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.  Using a kitchen torch, carefully melt the sugar on top evenly , browning it lightly.  Swirl the melted sugar slightly to even the surface before returning to the fridge for 5-10 minutes to set.

*I warm the cream before mixing with the sugar.
*I melt the sugar with water until it cracks and pour on top of the custard instead of using a torch.

(from thejbkitchen.com)