Crème Brûlée
Creamy custard meets a perfectly caramelized sugar crust in this classic Crème Brûlée, It’s the ultimate blend of elegance and simplicity, just like the best things in life.
Servings: 7 -6 oz Ramekins
Prep: 1 hour 40 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Ready in: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups of heavy cream
3/4 cup + 1/3 cup of granulated sugar (divided)
1/8 teaspoon of salt
8 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Hot water for the water bath
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Also, heat a pot or kettle of hot water for the water bath.
- Pour the cream into a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the saucepan along with the vanilla bean pod.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches a simmer. Remove it from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and salt with the egg yolks until the mixture becomes slightly pale.
- While whisking, slowly pour the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract and remove the vanilla bean pod.
- Place your ramekins into baking pans. Divide the cream mixture among the ramekins, filling each nearly full. Pour hot water into the pan, making sure not to get any in the ramekins, and fill the water level to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes until set, but the centers should still jiggle slightly. The baking time may vary based on the size of the ramekins you’re using. It will be less for smaller ramekins and more for larger ones.
- Cool the ramekins at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours.
- Sprinkle the tops evenly with the remaining sugar. Using a handheld kitchen torch, hold it about 4 inches from the sugar and evenly brown it. Remove the flame just before achieving the desired shade.
- Serve the crème brûlée right away or, for a fully chilled dessert, return it to the refrigerator and chill for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Notes:
- For the best experience, it’s recommended to serve crème brûlée within a few hours of caramelizing the sugar. This ensures that you enjoy the ideal texture and flavor of this delightful dessert. You can make the custards a day or two in advance, but wait to add the sugar and caramelize it until you’re ready to serve. The sugar softens when left in the fridge.
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