Save yourself an hour's work with the Thermomix:  no more bain marie for 45 minutes to set the crème!  

400 ml double cream or Thermomix cream
50 gm sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 whole eggs 
   OR  8 egg yolks

Brown sugar for topping

Weigh/add all ingredients into the Thermomix bowl.  Insert Butterfly whisk.  Cook 8 minutes/ 90˚C/ Speed 3.  If you have used cream cold from the fridge, you may have to cook it for 2 to 4 minutes longer to thicken the mixture.

Remove the Butterfly whisk.  Check that the crème looks perfectly smooth and is not grainy at all.  (If it is, use the rescue method in the Chef's Tip below).  Pour out immediately into individual ramekins or a large dish.  Leave to cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge.  Dredge thickly with brown sugar then caramelise the sugar by heating it under a hot grill or with a kitchen blowtorch.

Chef\'s Tip:  Rescuing an egg based crème that has overcooked and scrambled is easy in the Thermomix.  Add 30 ml cold milk or cream and blend 30 seconds/ Speed 8.  Repeat if necessary. Pour out immediately as above.

Chef\'s Tip:  For a quick dessert, make the crème and pour it onto frozen raspberries in the ramekin dishes.  They will defrost and cool the crème to a perfect serving temperature within about 5 minutes.

Copyright Janie Turner 2005