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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Crème Brûlée

    Crème Brûlée

    Published: August 30, 2021 · Modified: Aug 30, 2021 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    Creamy custard with a caramelized topping, this Crème Brûlée is a classic French dessert that looks fancy but is incredibly easy to make! With this foolproof recipe, you only need five simple ingredients, and you’ll have a silky smooth and rich crème brûlée in no time.

    A spoonful of crème brûlée lifted from the ramekin with a cup of tea in the background.
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    Pinterest graphic of a spoon lifting a spoonful of crème brûlée from a ramekin.
    Pinterest graphic of a ramekin of crème brûlée on a plate with a spoon lifting some out.
    Pinterest graphic of an overhead view of one of three crème brûlées. A pink napkin linen is beside it with a spoon.
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    Pinterest graphic of an overhead view of a ramekin of crème brûlée with a spoon inserted.

    With this recipe, there’s no need to go to a restaurant to get your fix of crème brûlée. This homemade crème brûlée features a rich vanilla flavored custard with a caramelized sugar topping that comes together effortlessly. It is so satisfying to crack the top of the hardened sugar surface with a spoon to get a spoonful of the caramelized bits and creamy custard.

    It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert as it requires a few hours of chilling before serving and can stay in the fridge for 2 days before enjoying. Try my Palmiers or French Macarons for another delicious French dessert that you can make ahead of time.

    What You Need to Make this Recipe

    Ingredients needed to make crème brûlée.

    Heavy cream — while some recipes may use milk or a lighter cream, I highly recommend using heavy cream. The custard is much more flavorful, rich, smooth, and silky when made with heavy cream.

    Vanilla bean — for the best vanilla flavor, a vanilla bean is ideal. I do not recommend using artificial vanilla extract as the vanilla bean is the main flavoring of the dessert.

    Eggs — the egg yolks will emulsify and produce a smooth and satin-like texture for the custard. Egg whites will make the custard more firm, so I only use the yolks. Save the whites for my Meringue Cookies by storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Sugar — the sugar is used both in the custard and the topping. It won’t be a classic crème brûlée without the caramelized topping made by running a blow torch over the layer of sugar.

    HOW TO MAKE CREME BRULEE

    Set of two photos showing heavy cream added to a saucepan and vanilla bean scraped with a spoon.

    1. Add heavy cream to a small saucepan.

    2. On a cutting board, slice open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out.

    Set of two photos showing vanilla bean added to the saucepan of milk and egg yolks being separated into a bowl.

    3. Bring cream and the vanilla bean and its scrapings to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

    4. In a bowl, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.

    Set of two photos showing egg yolks being whisked and heavy cream being strained.

    5. Whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, and salt.

    6. Strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Discard any solids and the vanilla bean pod.

    Set of two photos showing heavy cream whisked with the egg yolks and then a water bath being assembled for the ramekins.

    7. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg yolks.

    8. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour very hot water into the baking dish until it fills the dish by about a third.

    Set of two photos showing mixture poured into ramekins and then a blow torch to caramelize the tops.

    9. Divide custard among 6 (6-ounce) ramekins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard edges have set, but the center wobbles slightly.
    Remove from the oven and let cool completely before chilling for several hours or up to 2 days.

    10. When ready to serve, sprinkle 1½ teaspoons of sugar over the top of each chilled custard. Using a blow torch, caramelize the sugar until dark amber and bubbling. Serve the crème brûlée immediately.

    Overhead view of a crème brûlée, top is cracked, with a spoon inside.

    PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

    • Be very careful when tempering the eggs. Increase the temperature of the egg yolks by adding the heavy cream mixture slowly. The slower, the better. If you add too much of the heated mixture to the yolks quickly, the yolks will curdle, and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.
    • The sugar needs to completely cover the custard before you torch the top. If there is custard exposed, then it might curdle when exposed to heat. Give the ramekin a gentle shake to help the sugar evenly distribute.
    • Once the sugar on the crème brûlée has caramelized, serve immediately. If left out for too long, the moisture of the custard will cause the sugar topping to soften, and you will not get that satisfying crack.
    • You can substitute 2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract for the whole vanilla bean if desired. Alternatively, you can use vanilla bean paste.
    • Typically, recipes call for pouring hot water into the baking dish after placing the filled ramekins in it. I find the hot water can splash into the custard, creating a soupy mess, so I like to fill the dish first and then add the ramekins. It’s up to you which way you prefer to prepare the ramekins.
    • If there is foam on top of the ramekins after pouring the custard filling, skim it off. The foam will yield a bumpy surface after baking.
    • If there is moisture on the top of the custard after chilling, be sure to blot dry with a paper towel before topping with sugar.
    • Feel free to use a shallow ramekin to increase the caramelized topping to custard ratio. Keep in mind that a shallow dish will require less baking time.

    Overhead view of one of three crème brûlées on a serving plate with a pink linen napkin on the side.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    How do I brûlée the top without a torch?

    If you do not own a torch, you can caramelize the tops of the crème brûlée with your oven. Place the oven tray to the top of the oven and broil the crème brûlées for 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to avoid burning. It will not be as even as using a torch, but it’ll work in a pinch!

    Why does my custard taste eggy?

    If your crème brûlée tastes eggy, it means you’ve overcooked your custard. Unfortunately, there isn’t any way to fix it and you’ll have to start over.

    What’s the best sugar to use?

    Standard granulated sugar is ideal for crème brûlée. The sugar caramelizes quickly, so it doesn’t burn. The granulated sugar is also best for providing a visual cue to caramelizing the sugar by turning golden brown. Other sugars, such as raw sugar, are brown to start, so it’s difficult to tell.

    Is this gluten-free?

    All the ingredients used to make crème brûlée are naturally gluten-free.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

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    If you’ve tried this Crème Brûlée recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    A crème brûlée with the top cracked with a spoon inserted.
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    5 from 49 votes

    Crème Brûlée

    This Crème Brûlée looks fancy but is surprisingly easy to make! You only need a handful of ingredients to make this silky smooth custard with a delicious caramelized topping.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine French
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Chill Time 3 hours
    Total Time 4 hours
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 558kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • 6 (6-ounce) ramekins

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups heavy cream (720mL)
    • 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
    • 5 egg yolks
    • ½ cup plus 9 teaspoons granulated sugar divided (150g)
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325F.
    • In a small saucepan, bring cream and vanilla bean and scrapings to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
    • Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Discard any solids and the vanilla bean pod.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg yolks. Divide custard among 6 (6-ounce) ramekins.
    • Pour very hot water into the baking dish until it fills the dish by about a third. Carefully place the filled ramekins in the dish.
    • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard edges are set but the center wobbles slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Chill for several hours or up to 2 days.
    • When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar over the top of each chilled custard. Using a blow torch, caramelize the sugar until dark amber and bubbling. Serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    • Be very careful when tempering the eggs. Increase the temperature of the egg yolks by adding the heavy cream mixture slowly. The slower, the better. If you add too much of the heated mixture to the yolks quickly, the yolks will curdle, and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.
    • The sugar needs to completely cover the custard before you torch the top. If there is custard exposed, then it might curdle when exposed to heat. Give the ramekin a gentle shake to help the sugar evenly distribute.
    • Once the sugar on the crème brûlée has caramelized, serve immediately. If left out for too long, the moisture of the custard will cause the sugar topping to soften, and you will not get that satisfying crack.
    • You can substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the whole vanilla bean if desired. Alternatively, you can use vanilla bean paste.
    • Typically, recipes call for pouring hot water into the baking dish after placing the filled ramekins in it. I find the hot water can splash into the custard, creating a soupy mess, so I like to fill the dish first and then add the ramekins. It’s up to you which way you prefer to prepare the ramekins.
    • If there is foam on top of the ramekins after pouring the custard filling, skim it off. The foam will yield a bumpy surface after baking.
    • If there is moisture on the top of the custard after chilling, be sure to blot dry with a paper towel before topping with sugar.
    • Feel free to use a shallow ramekin to increase the caramelized topping to custard ratio. Keep in mind that a shallow dish will require less baking time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 326mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 106mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1966IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
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    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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