I went visiting over the Labor Day weekend to see my best friend. While there, we stopped at Cost Plus World Market where I bought some ramekins that are perfect for brulee (the shallow wide kind giving you a large surface for the burnt sugar coating). I didn't have any recipes with me but a quick call to my friend, C-, who was kind enough to look up this recipe for me online and read it to me over the phone, and my problem was solved.

This recipe calls for fresh ginger as well but I just made it with vanilla bean only.

Ginger and Vanilla Creme Brulee
From Epicurious.com

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger (optional)
  
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 5 large egg yolks
• 12 teaspoons sugar (for the brulee topping)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Place three 4-inch-diameter fluted flan dishes* in each of two 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pans or place six 3/4-cup ramekins in 1 pan.
• Mix cream, sugar and ginger in heavy medium saucepan.
• Using small sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Add seeds and bean to saucepan.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer.
• Cover pan, reduce heat to very low and simmer gently 10 minutes to infuse flavors. Strain into large measuring cup.
• Whisk yolks in medium bowl until well blended.
• Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture just to blend.
• Return custard to measuring cup; divide among dishes.
• Pour enough hot water into pans to come halfway up sides of dishes.
• Carefully transfer pans to oven.
• Bake custards until almost set in center when pans are gently shaken, about 30 minutes for fluted flan dishes and 35 minutes for ramekins.
• Cool 30 minutes and chill in refridgerator at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over each custard.
• Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Alternately, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning and rotating the cups, about 1 to 2 minutes.)

About this recipe: Don't be put off by the number of steps in this recipe--go for it! It's really delicious and very easy, just plan enough time to chill your cooked custard before brulee-ing them and serving. You can even make these the day before. The instructions on Epicurious go on to say that you should refridgerate your brulees after browning the sugar but this is absolutely not necessary and you can serve it right away.

If you don't have ramekins, any small, shallow oven-safe receptacle will do, like very small bowls, or even shot glasses would work if you have them. I once had a great dessert at a local eatery with three kinds of brulee (chocolate, espresso, and port, as I recall) that was served in three small white sake cups. Very elegant looking and very tasty. Since the oven isn't terribly hot, don't hesistate to experiment with less traditional crockery.

I might use a tad less sugar the next time. I personally, found these to be a little on the sweet side. I'm sure if you use the ginger the amount is right to maintain a balance of flavor and sweetness. My best friend thought the sweetness was just fine. My only other criticism of my work was that I think I also used too much sugar on the tops--I prefer a thinner sugar crust than the one I ended up with. To each their own, it's very hard to mess this one up.

I'll post a photo of said brulees as soon as my friend sends them to me. Thanks to my BFF for sending the photos!

p.s. Looking for a way to use those left over egg whites? How about a 1/2 batch of these chocolate merengue kisses.