INGREDIENTS

    Cranberry Sauce
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries

    • Custard

  • 4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 vanilla bean
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar , plus
  • 8 teaspoons sugar , for caramelization

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cranberry Sauce: in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, orange juice concentrate, and water; stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil.
  2. Add in the cranberries; return mixture to a boil.
  3. Decrease heat and simmer gently for about 12 minutes; it will thicken and become glossy.
  4. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature and chill; you will have more than you need for the custards.
  5. Custard: position oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 350°; lightly butter or spray the ramekins.
  6. Pour the cream into a medium pan.
  7. Using a sharp knife, slit the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the tiny seeds into the pan; add the bean pod.
  8. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat; remove pan from heat immediately and set aside for 15 minutes; discard the bean pod.
  9. While the vanilla bean is steeping in the cream, in a big bowl, combine the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar; whisk until blended.
  10. Slowly add the cream and vanilla mixture; mix well.
  11. Set the ramekins in the baking pan lined with a dish towel.
  12. Ladle the custard into the ramekins.
  13. Place the pan on the oven rack and carefully add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  14. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the cremes are set, but not brown.
  15. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven; using a dish towel, carefully remove the ramekins from the hot water and cool to room temperature on a baking rack.
  16. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled for at least 2 hours, or even overnight.
  17. Before serving, preheat broiler; set the oven rack to within 1 to 1 ½ inches from the heat.
  18. Remove the cremes from the refrigerator, uncover, and gently blot any moisture on the surface with a paper towel.
  19. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the cranberry sauce evenly on each custard.
  20. Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
  21. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide it under the broiler.
  22. Broil, watching constantly and rotating the pan for even caramelization, until the toppings are bubbling and a rich brown, about 2 minutes.
  23. Alternatively, brown the tops with a torch for about 1-2 minutes.
  24. Serve immediately.