Description
A foolproof, restaurant-quality crème brûlée recipe featuring a silky vanilla custard and a perfectly caramelized sugar crust. Elegant, make-ahead friendly, and easier to make than you think.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 whole vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons high-quality vanilla extract)
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Superfine sugar or caster sugar (for sprinkling)
- Optional: A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Place ramekins in a large baking dish.
- In a saucepan, combine heavy cream and vanilla bean (seeds and pod). Heat over medium-low until it simmers, then remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar vigorously for 2-3 minutes until pale and thickened (ribbon stage).
- Slowly pour about half of the warm cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream and whisk to combine.
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove any cooked egg bits or vanilla pod chunks. Pour the strained custard into ramekins, filling them about ¾ full.
- Place the baking dish in the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the dish around the ramekins until it reaches halfway up the sides (water bath). Bake for 30-40 minutes until edges are set but centers still jiggle slightly.
- Remove ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, pat the tops of the chilled custards dry. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of superfine sugar over each. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it forms a golden-brown, glass-like crust. Let cool for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ensure the custard is completely cold before torching the sugar to prevent it from melting into a puddle. Use a water bath to ensure even cooking and prevent the edges from becoming rubbery. If you don’t have a torch, you can use the oven broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 45
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Protein: 6
Keywords: crème brûlée, vanilla custard, caramel dessert, French dessert, make-ahead dessert, easy baking