Merry Christmas.

I hope you and your family and friends are happy and healthy, full of merriment and grace.

This is little dessert gift, from me to you. I adore the subtle flavor of cinnamon permeating this exquisite, always-welcome pot of cream. And I love that it is easy to make.

I use a little culinary blow torch to 'brulee' mine, but truth be told: I am hankering for a larger blow-torch from a hardware store. It costs about the same, and serves the same purpose (we use this larger device at the cooking school and it makes the little butane kitchen tools look like wannabees). Regardless if your blow torch has the power of a hair-dryer or enough to ignite a boat-size BBQ, we all love the crunchy, burnt-sugar crust.

Merry cinnamon, Christmas brulee 3 cups heavy cream 1-2 cinnamon sticks 1 egg plus 4 yolks (large) 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp rum 1 tsp vanilla extract extra sugar for the 'brulee'

Oven to 300. Use a paddle attachment, mix egg plus yolks and sugar on low speed to combine. On stove, in small pot, heat cream (plus cinnamon sticks) until just about to boil. Remove, strain and slowly pour into egg/sugar mix with paddle stirring on low. Pour into ramekins (or jars, custard dishes, etc.), place into baking dish and fill baking dish with boiling water so it comes halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake 35-40 minutes until custards are set. Remove from hot water, let cool to room temp. then place in fridge. They can be made a day or two in advance; to serve spread top of each custard with T of sugar; brulee with torch.