Though it’s a bit labor-intensive, crème brûlée actually makes a great dinner party dessert because so much of the work is done ahead of time. You can do all the cooking the day before, and just quickly brûlée the tops of these individual custards before serving. The results: spectacular.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place coffee beans in a heavy-bottomed sauce pot and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the beans are hot and aromatic.

Remove from the oven and place sauce pot with the beans on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the cream and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Let steep for 10 minutes.

Slowly strain the cream mixture over the yolks to temper the eggs. Add the Kahlúa and salt, stir to combine, and then strain the mixture into two ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill with water to half way up the sides of the dish. Cover loosely with foil and place in the oven.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the custard is just set (a gentle tap on the side should produce no ripples). Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 2 hours.

Sprinkle the tops of the custards evenly with 1–2 tablespoons of sugar. With a kitchen torch, brûlée the sugar until it is golden to medium brown. Hold the flame 2–3 inches over one section of the sugar until it begins to melt and just starts to brown. Then quickly move on to the next area. Be careful not to hold the flame over one part for too long, as it will burn the sugar. Serve immediately.