Don't be afraid of the love.........of Creme Brulee

Whenever I go to a nice restaurant, I always order the Creme Brulee. It's not anything I thought I could make at home, sort of like how my mom would sweat every time she make homemade custard.

I made this for the first time last Christmas Eve on a whim - and I worried myself sick the entire time it was in the oven. Imagine my surprise when it came out fantastic! It went over so well, while 'Santa' was putting out all the gifts I made a second batch for Christmas Day. It's an adapted recipe from Ina Garten, but I like my own version.

Christmas Creme Brulee

1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
scant amount freshly grated nutmeg (you can use already ground nutmeg, but I like grated my own)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Add the egg, yolks and sugar in a bowl with the paddle attachment and mix just until blended. In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream just until the cream is hot, not boiling - it will break if it boils.

To the egg mixture, add just a small amount of the heavy cream while mixing on low speed - if you don't, it will scramble your eggs. Slowly add the rest of the cream mixture, the vanilla, orange zest and nutmeg. Pour into 6 clean custard dishes or 8 ramekins. Place the custard dishes or ramekins into a baking pan, then pour boiling water in the pan until it comes halfway up the custard or ramekins. (I am afraid of getting water into my beautiful custard, so I place the pan in the oven, and use a tea pot to pour the water in the pan.)

Bake 40 minutes, remove from the oven, cool about 30 minutes to room temperature then refrigerate until it's firm to the touch.

I use just one teaspoon of white sugar: spread it evenly, then heat with a culinary torch until sugar is caramelized on top. Be careful, don't grab the top of the custard cup or ramekin because it will give you the hurtin' of your life: not that I've grabbed the top and smelled caramelized finger or anything.

Trust me - this will be one of those things that make you look like a star at your own table!