Crème brûlée with a sugar crust

Ingredients

• 320 g heavy cream (at least 30% fat)
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 medium strawberries optional
• 5 g butter
• 4 tablespoons sugar for the crust
• 1000 ml water

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 160 °C. Grease four ramekins with 5 g butter and put two strawberries, cut into quarters, in each one if using. Set the ramekins in a deep baking dish. 2. Beat the egg yolks with 4 tablespoons of sugar for 3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. 3. Heat the cream over low heat for 5 minutes, until small bubbles appear around the edge. Take it off the heat before it boils. 4. Slowly pour the cream over the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth. 5. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Measure out 1000 ml water and pour enough into the baking dish to come halfway up the ramekins; set the remaining water aside. 6. Bake for 30 minutes at 160 °C. The custard should be set around the edges, with the middle still slightly wobbly. 7. Remove the ramekins from the dish and leave them to cool for 30 minutes, then chill for 4 hours. 8. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each ramekin, in a layer that covers the custard. Put them under the broiler for 3 minutes, until the sugar melts and browns, or caramelize it with a kitchen torch just before serving.