White Chocolate Crème Brulée

Happy New Year, everyone! To celebrate 2014 I decided to prepare a special dessert: Crème brulée. Basically it's a cold custard with a thin layer of caramelized sugar on top.  It's very good and  quite easy to make. To caramelize you can use a blowtorch (my mom has one, so I thought it was fun to do), but you can also put the desserts briefly under the grill. It's up to you. Have a nice 2014!!!

White Chocolate Crème Brulée

Serves 6
Action: 20 minutes/ Total: 60 minutes, plus waiting

2 cups /500 ml heavy cream
3.5 oz/ 100 g good quality white chocolate (we used Green & Black's with vanilla)
5 egg yolks
25 g granulated white sugar, plus extra for topping
powdered sugar (optional)

Extra: 6 small ramekins, blowtorch (optional), piece of paper and scissors (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F/150 C. Break the white chocolate into pieces. 

2. Bring the cream to a simmer (just below the boiling point). Take the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk until it is melted. 

3. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it looks pale and smooth.  

4. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the warm chocolate cream and mix until it is absorbed. Now stir in the remaining chocolate mixture. 

5. Place the empty ramekins in a baking pan or roasting tray and pour boiling water halfway up the sides, but not in the ramekins.

6. Pour the chocolate mixture into the ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes until it is set but still a bit wobbly in the center. Allow to cool and chill in the fridge for several hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of sugar on top of each dessert. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the  sugar, or (if you don't have such a blowtorch) put the ramekins briefly under a hot grill. Watch them carefully because they burn quickly and easily!! Put the crème brulées in the fridge for several minutes before serving (this will harden the caramel on top).

8. Optional: If you want you can  cut '2014' (or something else) out of a piece of paper like  I did. Put the paper on top of each dessert and sprinkle some powdered sugar with a little sieve over it. 

Happy New Year!!!