Créme Brûlée
User Reviews
4.9
Créme Brûlée
Description
Créme Brûlée combines heavy cream infused with Madagascar vanilla bean and sugar, gently simmered to dissolve sugar and extract flavor. The hot cream is slowly streamed into whisked egg yolks to temper them, avoiding curdling and ensuring a smooth custard. The mixture is poured into ramekins placed in a baking dish filled with boiling water for a bain-marie, which provides even, gentle cooking at 325°F, producing a creamy, delicate texture.
The custards are baked just until slightly jiggly in the center, with a glossy top. After chilling, a sugar topping is evenly sprinkled and caramelized with a kitchen torch in small circles to form a thin, brittle crust. This torching provides precise caramelization without melting the custard or burning the sugar, unlike broiler methods.
Served with fresh berries, the dessert pairs a silky, rich custard with a crisp caramel crust and bright, fresh fruit. Using whole vanilla beans is recommended for flavor depth, and chilling overnight improves texture and crust formation.
Techniques such as tempering eggs carefully, not overbaking, and using a torch for caramelizing are critical to achieve the classic créme brûlée texture and appearance. Avoid substitutions like vanilla extract unless necessary, and do not use the broiler to caramelize as it risks melting the custard.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus more for topping
- 1 whole vanilla bean split lengthwise, Madagascar
- 5 egg large, take care that no bits of whites are included, yolk
- water boiling
- fresh berries for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F, with rack on lower middle position. In medium saucepan, combine cream and sugar, mixing well. Use a small knife to scrape all seeds from vanilla bean, into the saucepan. Once all seeds have been added to saucepan, add the empty vanilla bean into saucepan.
- Over medium heat, stir until sugar completely dissolves and the creamy mixture comes to a simmer. Cover pan and reduce heat to lowest setting. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and remove the empty bean and any other pieces of the bean. Set aside to let cool about 10 minutes.
- In medium bowl, whisk yolks until well blended. Very carefully and in a very slow stream, drizzle egg yolks into the cream mixture while whisking constantly, until all egg yolks are added (a mini silicone spatula really helps with getting all the egg yolks in there.)
- Place ramekins in a 9×13 pan/baking dish. Gently pour enough boiling water directly into the pan - not into the ramekins themselves - so that the hot water reaches halfway up the outsides of ramekins. This step is important for even-cooking and prevents edges of custards from cooking too fast.
- Using a ladle, evenly divide custard into ramekins. Place entire pan in oven and bake about 35 minutes. Custards should be almost set in the center when pan is gently shaken.
- Remove ramekins from baking pan and let cool to room temp - we use these silicone gloves, extremely helpful here. Chill custards in fridge for several hours, until cold throughout. This can be done up to 2 days in advance.
- When ready to serve, dab off excess moisture from top of custards. Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar over first custard, rotating it so that sugar evenly coats top. Tap excess sugar out onto second custard. Repeat until all custards have a thin, even layer of sugar on top.
- Turn blowtorch on and move flame constantly in circles over the sugar topping until golden caramel-colored bubbles appear - start with flame about 6 inches away, to get a feel for it. Place finished custards back in the fridge as you work, to allow caramelized sugar to harden. Serve chilled créme brûlée with fresh berries.
Notes
- Use whole vanilla beans instead of extract for better flavor; if substituting extract, add it after simmering the cream and reduce simmer time.
- Temper egg yolks slowly by adding hot cream while whisking constantly to prevent scrambled eggs.
- Remove custard from oven when slightly jiggly to avoid overcooking; the top should be glossy and springy.
- Caramelize sugar topping with a kitchen torch, moving quickly in small circles to avoid burning.
- Avoid using the broiler for caramelizing as it causes uneven burning and melts the custard underneath.
- Chill custards overnight for best texture and smooth tops before torching the sugar crust.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 375 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1ramekin | |
| Calories | 375kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 252mg | 84% |
| Sodium | 29mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 92mg | 2% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 1383IU | 28% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 72mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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