Maple Crème Brûlée

2 cups (500 mL) heavy whipping cream
½ cup (125 mL) maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped
¼ cup (50 mL) maple sugar or packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking pan with a double thickness of paper towels and put the ramekins in the pan. Fill a kettle with water and bring water to a boil.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat cream with syrup and scraped vanilla bean. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove immediately from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Continue whisking and slowly drizzle in a bit of the hot cream mixture to temper, or warm, the eggs so they won't curdle. Keep whisking and slowly pour in the remaining cream mixture.

Skim any foam off the top of the mixture. Pour mixture into six 2/3-cup ramekins. Carefully place the baking pan into the oven. Then pour enough hot water from the kettle into the baking pan so that water comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the centers are firm but jiggle slightly. Remove ramekins from pan and let cool. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or longer.

To serve: Sprinkle sugar evenly over top of cooked and cooled custards. Using a torch, move the flame continuously over the surface of the ramekins until the sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly. As it cools, it hardens.