2007
Listen (2:30)

commissioned by pazzia contemporary performing collective

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A somewhat ridiculous setting of my recipe for crème brulée.

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Preheat the oven
to three hundred twenty-five degrees.
Place cream in a heavy medium saucepan.
Scrape in seeds from a vanilla bean... add bean.
Bring to simmer over medium heat.
Whisk nine large egg yolks and
half a cup of sugar
in a medium bowl to blend.
Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water.
(Do not let the bowl touch the water.)
Whisk vigorously until the yolk mixture is pale yellow
and hot to the touch.
Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture;
Discard vanilla bean.

Divide cream mixture among six soufflé dishes.
Bake custards water bath until almost set in center,
about thirty-five minutes.
Remove custards from water bath.
Refrigerate overnight.

Sprinkle just a teaspoon of some sugar
on each custard top.
Then use a blow torch to evenly melt and caramelize the sugar.
THWACK! and enjoy.