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White Chocolate Creme Brulee

Preheat the oven to 120°C.

Place the cream and vanilla seeds/pod into a saucepan and bring it up to just below boiling point on a very slow heat. Take it off the heat just before boiling.

Mix the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl until pale in colour. Pour the cream through a strainer and into the egg mixture whilst whisking. Continue to whisk until all the cream has been incorporated. Pour the mixture back into a clean saucepan and add the white chocolate.

Cook the mixture over a very low heat whilst constantly stirring. The custard will be done when the mixture coats the back of a spoon. If you have a thermometer, bring the custard to 83°C. If you go over the eggs will curdle.

As soon as the custard is ready, take it off the heat and place directly into a cold bowl to stop the cooking process. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to cool.

If the custard splits, try to add a few drops of cold water immediately and whisk like you have never whisked before! Alternatively, you could just leave the curdled mixture aside for 20 minutes and blend in a food processor until combined (these are restaurant cheats).

Want to know the other reason for cooking the custard? Did you ever have Créme Brûlée in a restaurant and the vanilla seeds are always at the bottom of the bowl. Well it's because they did not cook the custard first. When you cook the custard the vanilla seeds stay in suspension. This looks a lot better in the finished Créme Brûlée.

When cool, pour mixture into ramekins. Do not let any bubbles form in the ramekins as this will spoil the surface once cooked. Place ramekins in a "bain marie" in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Keep checking, especially towards the end of cooking, just in case they are cooked. You know they are ready when the centre is wobbly, like jelly.

Take out of oven when ready and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cool, probably after 2-3 hours, sprinkle with caster sugar and blow torch to achieve the Brûlée. This can be done under a grill also but not to the same effect.

If you want to use the eggs instead of a ramekin you will need to buy an egg topper. This gadget will basically top the egg in a perfect circle. You then will have to prise the top carefully off and pour the egg out. Scrape the egg membrane away from the egg shell and wash the egg shell until clean. To cook the egg with the custard inside place the egg back into the egg carton and place in a "bain marie" to cook.