Oklahoma Table: Hurray for Made in OK Creme Brulee on Valentine's Day

Start with the best quality fresh eggs and milk.

Strain the liquid custard mixture before baking for silky smooth custard.

Use a sturdy pan to hold ramekins for baking custards in the water bath.

Bake custard low and slow in warm “Bain-Marie” water bath. It should not boil.

To avoid burns and spills when removing baked custards from oven pull out rack first.

Let custards cool before removing from water bath and refrigerating.

Broil sugar topping only when you can give it your full attention.

Over the years, I've made Creme Brulee in a variety of flavors, adding puree of pumpkin or butternut squash to the custard mixture. Sometimes I do it with concentrated coffee added to the heated cream. When I get fresh vanilla beans, I slit a half of one lengthwise and steep it in part of the half-and-half. To keep the little specks of pure vanilla, this part of the liquid is added after straining the rest of the heated half-and-half mixed with the egg and sugar mixture. This way the residue from the pod remains in the custard.

I've also made a chocolate version, melting 4 to 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler then incorporating it into the hot half-and-half.

One more thing in case you forget to give full attention to broiling the sugar: Let the burnt sugar cool, then lift it off and add new sugar mixture to the top of the custard. Then watch it carefully this time.

This year we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of our first date a few days before Valentine's. It has over the decades become a significant milestone for us.

This year I'm including my favorite Oklahoma honey in the custard mixture, dissolving it into the heated half-and-half before mixing it with the eggs. I may just omit the vanilla and let that honey bring its pure Oklahoma flavor to celebrate those 40 years with my “Honey.”

It is amazing how so few ingredients make such an elegant ending to a special meal. All you need is a little time. Make the custard the day before, chill overnight, then broil (brulee) the sugar topping before serving time. This recipe will fill 10 to 12 small 1/3- to ½-cup ramekins or custard dishes. A few fresh or frozen raspberries or blackberries can be hidden inside the custard before adding the sugar topping and broiling. They make a yummy surprise.