Desserts
3 cups Heavy cream
7 Tbs Sugar
6 Egg yolks
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Light brown sugar
From "New York Times Cookbook", Craig Claiborne.
Pre-heat oven to 300° F.
Heat cream over boiling water and stir in the sugar.
Beat egg yolks until light and pour the hot cream over them gradually, stirring vigorously.
Stir in the vanilla and strain the mixture into ovenproof ramekins.
Place the filled ramekins in a pan or cookie sheet filled with hot water, so the water comes up about halfway on the ramekins.
Bake until a silver knife inserted in the center comes out clean, or 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the custard will continue to cook from retained heat when it is removed from the oven.
Chill thoroughly or at least allow them to cool until warm to the touch.
Cover the surface of each ramekin's contents with brown sugar. Rubbing sugar through a fine-mesh tea strainer works well.
Set the ramekins in the pan with water again and place under broiler until the sugar is brown and melted. Serve immediately or chill again and serve cold.