Bourbon Vanilla Crème Brûlée
A crème brûlée lives or dies by two things: a gentle bake in a water bath, and sugar burned to order right before it reaches the table. The bourbon is subtle by design; it should round out the vanilla, not announce itself.
Method
Infuse the cream
Warm the cream with the split vanilla bean over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes, then scrape in the seeds.
Temper the yolks
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together. Slowly whisk in the warm cream to temper the eggs without scrambling them.
Strain and flavor
Strain the custard through a fine sieve and stir in the bourbon.
Bake in a water bath
Divide among six ramekins set in a deep baking dish. Add hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the centers jiggle slightly but aren't liquid.
Chill
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Brûlée and serve
Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen torch until deep amber and crackling.
From the kitchen
A kitchen torch gives you far more control than a broiler, which tends to melt the custard underneath before the sugar has a chance to caramelize evenly.