CREAM BRULEE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat cream with vanilla bean or vanilla in heavy saucepan over low heat. Beat eggs and yolks adding white sugar gradually; beat until light and thick. SLOWLY pour CREAM into egg mixture, mixing well.
• Return mixture to heavy sauce pan and cook on low heat, stirring with wooden spoon until mixture coats back of spoon. Do not boil. Remove vanilla bean.
• Pour into shallow 1 ½ quart casserole or individual porcelain ramekins (ovenproof), and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• At serving time, sieve brown sugar over top, covering custard completely (to about 1/4-inch thickness). Place casserole in pan of crushed ice and place under hot broiler until sugar melts and caramelizes. This may take less than a minute, so watch constantly.
• Chill about 5 minutes in refrigerator to harden sugar crust. To serve, crack crust with back of serving spoon and spoon over bowls of chilled strawberries.
• POACHED PEARS WITH CRÈME BRULEE VARIATION: 6 medium winter pears, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice.
• Pare pears, leaving stems on. In 5-quart saucepan, mix 2 cups of water with sugar and lemon juice. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Place pears on their side in syrup. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Turn pears, simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes longer. Refrigerate overnight in syrup.
• To serve, place pears in individual serving dishes. At table, spoon Crème Brulee over top of pears.
• The Total Woman Cookbook Marabel Morgan.