Traditional crème brûlée

Gently heat the pod with the cream until almost boiling, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins. Remove the pod and scrape in the seeds.

Preheat oven to 150C/300F/gas 2. Whisk the egg yolks with 25g sugar until light and fluffy, then whisk in the cream. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and strain into a measuring jug.

Pour into 4 x 150ml ramekin dishes, put these in a roasting tin and pour in hot water to come halfway up their sides. Cook for 20 mins or until almost set. Remove from tin and leave until cold. You can refrigerate them at this point and finish the next day.

Preheat the grill. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly on top, put the dishes on a baking tray and grill until the sugar bubbles and starts to colour. Or caramelise them with a blowtorch. Leave until the caramel is cold and hard. Serve at room temperature or chilled.