Baked Pear Custard Brulee

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease six 6 oz ramekins and place in a baking pan large enough to hold cups without touching each other. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla seeds until warm. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Add milk, ¼ cup sugar, salt and flour. Fill ramekins with ½ cup of the mixture and pour boiling water around them halfway up the sides. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and set.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet and add butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and pears and sauté over medium heat until slightly softened.

3. Remove custards from the oven and carefully remove them from the water bath using a spatula. Place cooked custards on a baking sheet and preheat the broiler placing the rack 6” from the broiler. Top custards with the pears and 1 teaspoon sugar each and place under the broiler until the sugar melts and is lightly browned (3-5 minutes).

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar, divided
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup flour
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 lb. (about 3) Bartlett pears, cored and sliced