Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange ramekins in a larger baking dish.

Apples:In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Toss in the apples to coat. Microwave for 10-15 seconds for the apples to become slightly tender. Place apples in a single layer at the bottom of each ramekin.

Custard:In a saucepan, heat the cream until small bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sugar, salt, and cinnamon until just combined. While constantly whisking the egg mixture, slowly pour in the cream. Set a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Pour cream mixture through sieve to catch any lumps formed. Divide the custard into the ramekins evenly. (Apples will float to the top.) Place the large baking dish, with ramekins inside, in the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger baking dish, halfway up the ramekins. (Do not let water get inside ramekins.)

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until custard is set. (If you shake it gently, the center will wiggle slightly.) Cover each ramekin and chill for 4-8 hours.

When ready to serve, let custard rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Tilt ramekin around, to make an even layer of sugar. Pour out excess sugar if necessary. Use a blow torch to caramelize the sugar in a circular motion until sugar is browned. Serve immediately.

Notes:Total time does not include minimum 4 hour chilling time.

Only blowtorch tops when serving immediately. Otherwise, crème brûlées can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 5 days.

Recipe Courtesy of: Hearts in My Oven

Adapted from: BHG 2011 Fall Baking Issue