Caramelised cream custard (Crème brûlée)

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan to boiling point with the halved, scraped vanilla pod, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse.

2. Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until smooth and pale (don't make them frothy).

3. Slowly pour the lukewarm vanilla cream into the eggs while stirring.

4. Pour the custard into small ramekins and, standing them in a water bath, bake at 150 °C for about 35-40 minutes until just set but the centre still trembles slightly.

5. Cool, then chill in the fridge for a few hours.

6. Before serving, scatter the top with the remaining sugar and burn a crisp caramel layer onto it with a kitchen blowtorch.

Tip: The magic of crème brûlée is the contrast between the soft custard and the crisp caramel crust – caramelise the sugar right before serving so it still crackles. The water bath is what makes the custard silky.