Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Prepare all the ingredients and tools. Measure out the cream (500 ml) and place it in a heavy-bottomed pot. Take out 100 g of sugar: 60 g will be used for the cream mixture, and 40 g set aside for caramelization, place it in a small bowl. Take out the eggs (3 pieces, 180 g) and prepare 4 low ramekins with a capacity of about 150 ml each. Preheat the oven to 150°C (top and bottom heat). Prepare a large baking dish for the water bath (it should fit the ramekins).

Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds with the knife. Place the seeds and the split vanilla pod in a pot with the cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring from the bottom, until the cream starts to steam and small bubbles appear at the edges (temperature around 80°C) — do not bring to a boil. When the cream starts to steam, remove the pot from the heat and cover it with a kitchen towel; let the vanilla infuse for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, crack 3 eggs (180 g). Add 60 g of sugar (set aside earlier) and a pinch of salt (1 g). Whisk vigorously with a kitchen whisk for about 1–2 minutes just to combine the ingredients — do not aerate the mixture too much; it should be smooth and uniform. The goal is to dissolve the sugar in the eggs, not to create a foam.

Remove the vanilla bean from the infused cream. In a thin stream, first pour about 1/3 of the hot cream into the bowl with the eggs, while whisking continuously to "temper" the eggs (to prevent them from curdling). After adding 1/3, pour in the next third, continuing to mix. Once the ingredients are combined, pour in the remaining cream in a thin stream, mixing until you achieve a smooth mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug or large bowl to remove any protein lumps and pieces of vanilla.

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Carefully pour the prepared cream into the ramekins, filling them to about 1 cm from the edge (leave space to prevent overflow when pouring in water). Put the ramekins in the roasting pan and pour hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the whole setup in the preheated oven (150°C) and bake for 35–45 minutes. The cream is ready when the edges are set and firm, and the center slightly "wobbles" when gently shaken — it should not be liquid.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully take the ramekins out of the hot water (use a spoon or tongs). Set the ramekins on a rack to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes), then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Longer chilling improves the texture and flavor.

Evenly spread a thin layer of the reserved 40 g of sugar on the chilled creams — about 10 g per serving. Use a small teaspoon to gently sprinkle the sugar and smooth the surface. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch, holding the flame about 5–8 cm above the sugar and moving the torch until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and forms a golden, crispy crust (1–3 minutes). If you don't have a torch, preheat the grill in the oven to a very high temperature and place the creams under the grill for 2–4 minutes, watching until the sugar caramelizes (be careful not to burn it). After caramelizing, wait 2–3 minutes for the crust to harden. Decorate with fresh raspberries and a mint leaf.

Serve the crème brûlée immediately after caramelizing and allowing the crust to set slightly (2–5 minutes). Serve on small plates, and you can add extra fresh raspberries on the side. When cutting the crust, show guests a piece of the edge — it should crack under the spoon, and underneath, the cream should be silky and cool.