CREME BRULEE

Prep time 5 mins Cooking time 35 mins 279 cals per serving

IT’S hard to believe a creme brulee could appear among these recipes, but here it is and it’s an absolute treat of a dessert. By swapping a few of the classic ingredients, you can save on calories while not compromising on the taste. This will become a firm favourite for dinner parties – and a dessert you can enjoy without any fear of overindulging.

SERVES 6 ● 400ml skimmed milk

● 2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

● 2 tsp vanilla paste or extract

● 4 tbsp granulated sweetener

● 6 tsp caster sugar

PREHEAT the oven to 190c/fan

170c/gas 5 and place six ovenproof ramekins in a large, deep baking dish. Put the milk, eggs and yolks, vanilla and sweetener in a large jug and mix really well – you’re not trying to whisk any air into the mixture, so just mix it gently with a fork until all the egg is fully combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins, then carefully fill the baking dish with boiling water until it reaches about half-way up the sides of the ramekins. Place in the oven and cook for 35 minutes, or until the egg mixture is set. Remove from the oven, take the ramekins out of the baking dish and leave to cool. Once cool, sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar onto each creme brulee and shake gently so the sugar covers the top. Melt the sugar with a blowtorch, then wait for the sugar to harden and form a crunchy top before serving. If using a grill, place the creme brulee as close to the grill as possible and make sure the sugar doesn’t burn — and, again, leave to cool and let the sugar set before serving.