Creme Brulee

Let the Challenge begin! I am excited and nervous to get started...I love to cook but this challenge means adding more things to my already packed schedule and still finding time to exercise!! I am nicknaming this my 50/50 challenge...there are 50 Master recipes in the cookbook and I would like to lose 50 lbs. If I stay on track it should take me about 50 weeks to complete this challenge and I have a 50/50 chance of success in making it through the cookbook and a 50/50 chance of losing 50 lbs...enough about 50 how about the first recipe? My first recipe after my challenge began was Creme Brulee. This was not my first time using this recipe and I know it is an amazing dessert. Creme Brulee a.k.a. burnt cream looks like it would be hard to make and only something you get at a fancy restaurant, but I was surprised how easy the recipe is and how great it tastes. This recipe involves a vanilla bean which I have never worked with before and realized that they were pretty expensive. I have a mini flame torch for carmelizing sugar on top of the thick custard, but I have also used the broiler in my over and a "big boy" torch at my cousin Mike's house! I must say that the "big boy" torch was the most fun but the small specialized torch was a good compromise of fun with a flame (I am a bit of a fire bug) and a good carmelized effect. I like the crunch on top of the dessert followed by the thick texture of the custard. mmmm mmmm mmmm...the only downside is that this recipe amounts to about 1000 calories per 1 cup ramekin. It is so easy to make, but I will need to save this recipe for special people or special occasions.