Toffee Apple Crème Brûlée

This post celebrates the glory of English apples in autumn, plus our very own historic Bonfire Night, when toffee apples are the order of the day.   Crème Brûlée is a classic French pudding, here given an underlay of cooked apples and a solid caramel top.   I  specifically made a poured caramel topping here, as it really does create the feeling of biting into a toffee apple - that first splintering bite, with the combination of very sweet caramel and apple.  

Toffee Apple Crème Brûlée

Crème Brulée

1lb Bramley apples (or other cooking variety)  
2 tbsp brown soft sugar

4 egg yolks
2oz (50g) caster sugar 
600ml (20 fl oz) double cream
half a vanilla pod
 
Caramel:   2.5oz (70g) caster sugar and a little water
8 little ramekin dishes
 
Peel, core and chop the apples, then put into a pan with the sugar and about 1tbsp water so it doesn't burn.  Cook until the apple is soft and it has nearly become mushy, then distribute the puree between the little ramekins. 

Next, boil a kettle of water (I always forget this bit).... and heat the oven to about 140 deg C.   Heat the double cream in a saucepan over a low heat, scraping in the seeds from the vanilla pod, plus the pod itself.    Meanwhile, mix the yolks and sugar together.  When the cream is at blood temperature, pour it (minus pod) over the yolks/sugar and whisk gently until well mixed.  
 
Pour the crème into eight ramekin dishes, and place the dishes in a roasting tin containing enough boiling water to come at least half way up the sides.   Bake for about an hour until the mixture is set but not coloured (better that than runny though!).    Remove from the water, and allow to cool.   
 
Over high heat, melt the caster sugar with a little water, stirring until it boils, and then watch it until it turns brown and caramelises.  Carefully (it is HOT), pour evenly over the ramekins.   Refrigerate until cold.  The caramel will start to melt slightly after 24hours, but it will still be delicious.   

Surprisingly, this will also freeze!