Recipe of the Day - Crème Brûlée (plus, Puff and Choux's 100th post and prize give-away!)

Several years ago, my best friend Emily and I thought about starting up a zine, which some might consider the predecessor to the blog. We knew it had to have a niche topic, so we decided on sushi and the people we hated in high school. Those were two specific subjects that we felt we could write endless articles about. A couple of cocktails later, the zine idea went out the window and as an alternative, we just sat around and bitched about bad sushi and high school.

Fast forward to a year or two after the zine fall out. Emily and I were sharing some crème brûlée at the end of a birthday dinner in Williamsburg. The subject of starting a blog came up, and we decided that crème brûlée would be a great topic. However, once again, a few cocktails interfered and that idea was ditched and instead we just vowed to always order crème brûlée whenever we saw it on a dessert menu moving forward. And we have done so for the past four years.

So in honor of that fallen blog that never was, today's Recipe of the Day is for the Queen of Desserts (at least in my mind) - Crème Brûlée.

Also, this is Puff and Choux's 100th post, so to the first reader to post a comment in the comment section of this blog that includes the name and contact info for a restaurant in your area that serves crème brûlée, I'll send you a dessert gift card from said restaurant so you too can enjoy this amazing treat. Everyone else - make it yourself using the recipe from Debbie Puente and her website - CrèmeBrûlée.com!

Be sure to leave your name and e-mail address with your comment so I know how to get in touch with you regarding the gift card!

"Crème Brûlée - Make my Day" Recipe

Equipment:
6 Ramekins
Large pan for water bath (for use in oven)
Hand-held torch
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Sieve
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons

Ingredients:
8 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

Divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a water bath (large pan filled with 1 or 2 inches of hot water) and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. If you don't have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards for a few minutes before serving.

Serves 6.