Here’s a classic Crème Brûlée recipe—a rich, creamy custard with a crisp, caramelized sugar topping. 🍮🔥
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for custard)
- Extra granulated sugar (for topping)
Instructions
1. Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Prepare a baking dish or 6–8 ramekins and a roasting pan for a water bath.
2. Heat the Cream
- In a saucepan, heat heavy cream over medium heat until just simmering.
- If using a vanilla bean, split and scrape the seeds into the cream. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
3. Prepare Egg Mixture
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until smooth and pale.
- Gradually pour hot cream into egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper eggs.
- Strain mixture through a fine sieve to remove solids or vanilla bean pods.
4. Bake in Water Bath
- Pour custard into ramekins.
- Place ramekins in a roasting pan and fill pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake 35–45 minutes, until custard is set but slightly jiggly in the center.
- Remove ramekins and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
5. Caramelize the Sugar
- Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar on top of each custard.
- Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until golden brown and crisp.
- Optional: Broil in the oven for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.
6. Serve
- Serve immediately after caramelizing for the best crunch.
Tips
- Custard texture: Do not overbake; it should jiggle slightly in the center.
- Vanilla flavor: Using a vanilla bean gives the classic speckled look and rich aroma.
- Storage: Prepare custards ahead; only caramelize sugar right before serving.
I can also give a chocolate, coffee, or coconut-flavored Crème Brûlée variation, or a mini bite-sized version perfect for parties.
Do you want me to provide one of those variations?
