Cappuccino crème brûlées
Ingredients
- butter, for greasing
- 4 large free-range egg yolks
- 45g/1½oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 300ml/10fl oz single cream
- 300ml/10fl oz double cream
- 2½ tsp instant coffee granules
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar, for the caramel topping
Method
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Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Lightly grease 6 x 150ml/5fl oz heatproof ramekins with butter. Break the egg yolks into a large bowl, tip in the caster sugar and vanilla, and mix with a wire whisk to combine.
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Put both the creams in a medium pan and heat until scalding. Remove from the heat and stir in the coffee until it dissolves, then leave the mixture to cool slightly for about 2 minutes. Pour the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and stir thoroughly to combine. Strain the custard and pour it into the prepared ramekins.
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Stand the ramekins in a roasting tin and pour hot water into the tin until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove the ramekins from the roasting tin and leave to cool. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight (or up to 2 days ahead).
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Put the caster sugar for the caramel in a stainless steel pan and add water to dampen. Place over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved (CAUTION: boiling sugar is very hot. Take care not to burn yourself). Once dissolved, turn the heat up high and cook until the caramel has turned a very pale straw colour. Pour the caramel onto non-stick paper, and allow to cool completely. Once cool, blitz the caramel in a food processor until very fine. Sprinkle the caramel sugar evenly over the cooled custard.
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Preheat the grill to high. Put the ramekins as close to the grill as possible and grill for about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the sugar or grill for too long otherwise you will overcook the softly set custard.
Tips
If you have a chef's blowtorch you can skip steps 4 and 5, and instead add 1 teaspoon caster sugar in a layer on top of each crème brûlée and caramelise it under a direct flame.