MAPLE CREME BRULE

Maple Crème Brule

9 egg yolks
¾ cup superfine white sugar plus 6 TBL
1 quart heavy cream
5 TBL pure maple syrup
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, cream together egg yolks and sugar with a whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

Pour cream into a medium saucepan along with maple syrup over low heat. Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean down the middle, scrape out the seeds and add them to saucepan. You can also add the vanilla bean pod to the cream or place the vanilla pod along with white sugar in a container to make vanilla flavored sugar. Bring cream to a simmer. This is called scalding. Small bubbles should begin to form on side of pan when cream is scalded. Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking the hot vanilla cream into yolk and sugar mixture.

Divide custard into 6 (6-oz) ramekins, about ¾ full. Place ramekins in a roasting pan. Fill pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The water bath step can be eliminated if using a convection oven. A convection oven moves the hot air around the baking ramekins and this helps to prevent of overcooking of the custard. Bake until barely set around the edges, about 40 minutes. You can cover ramekins loosely with foil if tops of custard begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours in frig. Sprinkle 1 TBL of sugar on top of each chilled custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above surface to brown the sugar and form a crust. Serve immediately.