Cooking Christmas Creme Brulee

Our answer

Nigella's Christmas Creme Brulee (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) is a celebratory version of a classic creme brulee that is flavoured with orange flower water and adorned with edible gold leaf. It is equally good at any time of the year. The custard is cooked in a saucepan on the stove (and not in the oven) so that it is smooth and unctuous and this also reduces the risk of the custard being overcooked. The custard should set in the pie dish as it cools and we would suggest that you let it chill overnight in the fridge.

To make sure that the custard sets properly you need to cook it until it coats the back of a spoon and when you run your finger through the mixture on the spoon the line should hold and the custard should not flow back. You will need to be patient to do this and cook the custard over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. If the heat is too high then the proteins in the egg will start to solidify and the custard may split and turn grainy. Have a sink half full of ice cold water ready so that if the custard looks like it may split then you can put the base of the pan into the water and whisk briskly to cool the custard down.