Maple syrup and vanilla crème brûlée

Photo by Aaron McLean

Prep time 10 min
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 4
 
Ingredients
     400ml cream
     45g maple syrup
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     5 egg yolks
     50g demerara sugar
 
Method
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius.

Pour the cream, maple syrup and vanilla into a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer.
Whisk the egg yolks and 2 tsp of the sugar together until light and creamy. Pour a little of the cream mix into the eggs and combine using a spatula. Add half the remaining cream and combine, then mix in the remaining cream.

Strain into ramekins using a sieve. Pour hot water into a roasting tray so it will come about halfway up the ramekins. Place the ramekins in the hot water bath, cover the tray with tinfoil and bake for around 30 minutes or until the custard is just set. Remove and cool.
Sprinkle the remaining sugar over and use a blowtorch to heat the top of the custard until the sugar begins to caramelise.
 
Top tip:
If you don’t have a blowtorch at home, place your custards under a hot grill to caramelise the topping. Just watch them carefully.