Mini Mascarpone Crème Brulee

Directions

• STEP 1

  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

• STEP 2

  Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl until well blended and mixture turns a light yellow color.

• STEP 3

  Place cream, mascarpone, vanilla bean, and scraped out seeds into saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 10 minutes.

• STEP 4

  Add warm cream, a little at a time and stirring constantly, to egg yolk mixture. Pour slowly to make sure not to scramble the eggs. Add entire mixture back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a light simmer. Watch closely. Remove from heat before mixture boils.

• STEP 5

  Pour mixture into eight St. Albans ceramic crocks or mini ramekin dishes. Place crocks into roasting pan, adding  enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of crocks.

• STEP 6

  Bake 40-45 minutes or just until creme brulee is set, but center still jiggles. Remove crocks or ramekins from roasting pan; refrigerate for at least one hour.

• STEP 7

  At serving time, remove creme brulee from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup sugar equally among the 6 dishes, spreading out in a thin layer. Using a kitchen torch, melt sugar until caramelized. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.