Crème Brûlée

Heat the oven to 140°C. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the cream in a pan with the pod and its seeds and bring it to the point where it shivers at the edges but does not boil. Take it off the heat and leave it for 20 minutes to infuse.

Separate the eggs, keeping the whites for another dish. Whisk the 6 yolks with the caster sugar for under 1 minute, just until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has lightened. Whisking air in at this stage gives a custard with a foamy layer on top.

Pour the warm cream onto the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the while, then strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug. The sieve catches the vanilla pod, the stringy chalazae and any egg that has set on contact.

Skim off any bubbles from the surface and divide the custard between six shallow ramekins.

Stand the ramekins in a deep roasting tin, slide it into the oven, then pour in hot water around them to come two thirds up the sides. Filling the tin at the oven door saves carrying it.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. They are done when a shake of the tin sets the whole surface wobbling as one piece and only a coin-sized patch in the centre looks loose.

Lift the ramekins straight out of the water, cool them to room temperature, then chill uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Shortly before serving, blot any beads of moisture off the tops, scatter a thin even layer of demerara sugar over each and melt it with a blowtorch, keeping the flame moving until it bubbles and turns deep amber. Leave 2 minutes for the crust to set hard.