Crème Brûlée
This classic French dessert features silky vanilla custard topped with a crackling caramelized sugar crust. With just five simple ingredients and minimal hands-on time, you can create a restaurant-quality treat that looks and tastes like it came from a fine dining kitchen.
Equipment
- Four 4-ounce ramekins
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Saucepan Medium size
- Baking dish Deep enough to hold water bath
- Kitchen torch Or oven broiler
- Fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream 480ml
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 67g, for custard
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml, pure vanilla recommended
- salt Pinch
For the Topping
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar 20g, for caramelizing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place four ramekins in a deep baking dish and boil water for the water bath.
- Heat heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and set aside.
- Whisk egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl for 1-2 minutes until pale yellow and slightly thickened.
- While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle 1/4 cup warm cream into egg mixture, then gradually add remaining cream in a steady stream to prevent scrambling.
- Pour custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Divide evenly among the four ramekins, leaving 1/4 inch space at the top.
- Pour hot water into baking dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges are set but centers still jiggle slightly.
- Let ramekins sit in water bath for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
- Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until custard is completely set.
- Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Blot any condensation, sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over each custard, and caramelize with a kitchen torch until golden brown.
- Let caramelized sugar harden for 1 minute before serving. Enjoy the contrast between cold custard and crispy sugar crust.
Notes
- Watch for the wobble: The custard should jiggle like set gelatin in the center when done. Overbaking creates a grainy texture instead of silky smoothness.
- Use superfine sugar for topping: Regular granulated sugar works fine, but superfine sugar melts more evenly and creates a thinner, more delicate crust.
- Master the torch technique: Keep the flame moving in small circles and hold it 2-3 inches from the surface. Too close burns the sugar; too far takes forever to caramelize.
- Room temperature matters: Let your custards sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before caramelizing. Cold custards can crack from the heat shock.
- Don't skip the sieve: Straining removes any small bits of cooked egg or vanilla pod pieces for an ultra-smooth custard.
- Add a vanilla bean: For extra vanilla flavor, split a vanilla bean lengthwise and steep it in the cream while heating, then scrape the seeds into the mixture.
- Storage: Baked custards (without sugar topping) can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Only caramelize the sugar right before serving.
- Broiler alternative: If you don't have a torch, place ramekins 4 inches from broiler on high for 1-2 minutes, watching constantly to prevent burning.
- Flavor variations: Add 2 tablespoons espresso for coffee crème brûlée, citrus zest for brightness, or 1 tablespoon culinary lavender for a floral twist.
- Half-and-half substitution: You can use half-and-half for a lighter version, but the custard won't be as rich and silky as with heavy cream.
Nutrition
Serving: 1RamekinCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 4gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 120mgSugar: 15gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 4mg
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