Creme Brulee

Preheat the oven to fan 160 degrees. Sit ramekins in a deep roasting tin, at least 7cm deep.

In a mixing bowl, put the egg yolks and the caster sugar. Whisk for 1 minute with an electric hand whisk until paler in colour and a bit fluffy.

Pour the double cream into a medium pan with the milk. Add the vanilla paste.

Put the pan with cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear around the edge, take the pan off the heat.

Pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, stirring with a wire whisk.

Set a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the hot mixture through to strain it.

Using a big spoon, scoop off all the pale foam that is sitting on the top of the liquid (this will be several spoonfuls). Discard the foam.

Pour in enough hot water into the roasting tin to come 1.5cm up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins.

Lay a baking sheet over the top of the tin so it sits well above the ramekins and completely covers them. Do not cover the whole baking tin as you want to allow the air to circulate.

Bake for 30- 35 minutes until the mixture is softly set. (the crème brules will be ready when they wobble it like a jelly in the middle).

Lift the ramekins out of the tin and set them on a wire rack to cool. Then cool them down completely in the fridge for at least four hours. This can done overnight.

When ready to serve, sprinkle ½ tsp of raw sugar over each ramekin. Spread the sugar out until you obtain an even layer. Leave the sugar to set for a few seconds in order to dampen it. Alternatively you can spray a little water.

Then use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep moving it round until caramelised.

Leave the caramelised top to set for a couple of minutes. This way you will obtain a crunchier topping.