Jeremy Conner's Pecan Smoked Creme Brulee with Blueberries and Honey Glazed Pecans

Directions

Special Equipment: Shallow, wide 3-6 oz. oven-proof containers (wide mouth mason jars work well)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream and vanilla extract and, over medium heat, bring the mixture to just shy of a boil, turning off the heat when the first bubbles of a simmer appear. In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and the 2/3 cup of sugar, and whisk until the mixture becomes fluffy and pale yellow. Using a ladle, add small amounts of the hot cream mixture to the yolk mixture a little at a time while whisking to combine each time.

When all of the mixture has been added to the yolks, use the ladle to skim any foam from the surface. Ladle the tempered custard into the oven-proof containers. Arrange the containers in a shallow baking pan and fill the pan with water (be careful not to get any in the custard or overflow the pan). Bake the custards in the water bath until they achieve a cohesive jiggle, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to brown the tops of the custard.

Remove from the water bath and allow to cool. Place in the refrigerator until chilled. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops of the custards. Caramelize the sugar using a torch or an oven set to broil. Top with the glazed pecans and blueberries, then serve.