5 from 12 votes
Creme Brulee
Creme Brulee is a rich custard dessert made with heavy cream, vanilla, egg yolks, and sugar, topped with a caramelized sugar crust. The custard is gently cooked in a water bath to achieve a smooth, creamy texture that contrasts with the crisp sugar topping. The recipe involves steeping vanilla in warm cream, blending with whisked egg yolks, and baking until just set.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
8
Calories:
540 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
French
Ingredients
- 4 cups heavy cream (divided)
- 1 vanilla bean (scraped or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste)
- 3/4 cup sugar (plus more for top)
- 9 large egg yolk
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of heavy cream, vanilla bean, extract, or paste, and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often to dissolve sugar. Take off heat, cover with lid, and let steep for 15 minutes.
- Place eight 4 or 5-inch ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Bring some water to a boil (this will be to put around the ramekins to slowly cook them).
- After the cream has steeped, stir in remaining 2 cups of heavy cream. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks together. Slowly add small amounts of cream to the egg yolks and keep whisking. Add remaining cream and stir. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Divide mixture evenly among ramekins. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish making sure not to get any water into the ramekins. Pour enough water into large baking dish to reach two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 33-40 minutes or until temperature reaches 175 degrees. The centers will be barely set.
- Let cool for 2 hours at room temperature. After cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.
- When almost ready to serve, sprinkled chilled creme brulees with about 2 teaspoons of sugar, evenly covering the tops. Using a kitchen torch, let the heat dissolve the sugars and create an outer sugar shell. Once complete, return to refrigerator to chill for 30-40 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to ensure a smooth custard without any cooked egg bits.
- Keep the water bath water hot but avoid splashing into the custard to maintain its texture.
- Caramelize the sugar topping just before serving to preserve the crispy crust.
- Chill custards well before torching the sugar to help the topping harden quickly without melting the custard.
Nutrition Information
Calories
540kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
23g
(8%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
48g
(74%)
Saturated Fat
29g
(145%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Cholesterol
341mg
(114%)
Sodium
41mg
(2%)
Potassium
134mg
(3%)
Sugar
22g
(44%)
Vitamin A
2025IU
(41%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
103mg
(10%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 540
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 540kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 48g | 74% |
| Saturated Fat | 29g | 145% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol | 341mg | 114% |
| Sodium | 41mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 134mg | 3% |
| Sugar | 22g | 44% |
| Vitamin A | 2025IU | 41% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 103mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.