Classic Creme Brulee With Sugar Cookies

Directions

1. Put vanilla bean in sugar and leave for two weeks.
2. Creme Brulee:Heat cream with the scraped seeds from vanilla beans and add in pods to the cream till just below a simmer.
3. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or possibly with an electric mixer), whip egg yolks, vanilla sugar and salt till pale and thick. With mixer on low speed, pour warm cream (with pods removed) into egg mix, stopping to scrape down sides occasionally.
4. Strain and refrigeratecompletely. Brulee mix can be made up to 2 days in advance.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F.Place 6 ramekins (or possibly flatter brulee dishes) in a pan with at least an 1 1/2-inch lip. Open oven door and place pan on door. Give brulee mix a stir and pour into c.. Pour boiling water around c. to come up halfway to the ramekins.
6. Bake brulees for 45-55 min, till they no longer jiggle when tapped. Remove from water bath and refrigeratefor at least 3 hrs before serving.
7. To serve, heat oven on broil. Sprinkle tops of custards with vanilla sugar and broil for 1 minute or possibly use a butane kitchen torch.
8. Mini Sugar Cookies:Preheat oven to 350 F.Cream together butter and 1 1/4 c sugar. Stir in egg, lowfat milk and vanilla.
9. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and stir in.
10. Shape small teaspoonfuls of cookie dough into balls and roll in sugar.
11. Place on a greased baking sheet and press down with palm of your hand.
12. Bake for 15 min and remove from pan to cold.
13. To Assemble:Serve immediately after the brulee comes out from under the broiler with cookies on the side.
14. Using vanilla sugar just builds on the fragrance and flavour of this recipe. If you don't have any made, regular sugar works just fine.
15. Serve immediately after the brulee comes out from under the broiler with cookies on the side.