Blackberry Crème Brûlée

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

In a saucepan, combine cream and half of the sugar; heat over medium heat until steaming. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, eggs and egg yolks until pale. Gradually whisk in heated Cream mixture in a slow steady stream; whisk in vanilla

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout. Sprinkle blackberries evenly in bottom of six 3/4-cup (175 mL) or eight 1/2-cup (125 mL) ramekins or crème brûlée dishes. Pour cream mixture evenly over top.

Set ramekins in a roasting pan place pan in oven. Pour in enough boiling water to come three-quarters up sides of ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 min until tops are firm and centre is still slightly jiggly. Let cool on rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until chilled, or for up to 2 days.

Topping: Just before serving, preheat broiler, if using. Blot tops of custards dry with paper towel. Sprinkle evenly with a thin layer of sugar, adding more if required. Broil on a baking sheet, rotating ramekins as necessary, or use a torch until sugar is bubbling and caramelized. Let cool for 3 min.

Cooking Tip: Fresh berries work best for this recipe. Frozen berries are too soft and the custard won’t set properly. Rinse fresh berries and pat dry with paper towel just before using.

Variation: Instead of sprinkling the tops with sugar and browning them, make a caramel syrup topping instead. Combine 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar and 1/4 cup (50 mL) water in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, without stirring, until syrup turns a deep caramel colour. Let cool until bubbles subside; pour a thin layer onto custards and let harden.

For the Adventurous: Use pitted fresh cherries in place of the blackberries and add 1 tbsp (15 mL) amaretto with the vanilla.