Silky smooth Crème Brûlée with vanilla custard and a caramelized sugar topping is a satisfying and elevated dessert. Enjoy for special occasions, holiday gatherings, or just because!
In a small saucepan, bring the cream and vanilla bean and seeds 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. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve and discard any solids caught by the sieve.
Place 6 (6-ounce) ramekins in a large baking dish and divide the custard among them. Very carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. (Go slow and take care not to splash water into the custard. See notes for an alternative method.)
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard edges are set, but the center wobbles slightly when gently shaken. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the water bath. Remove the ramekins from the water and chill for several hours. The custards can also be loosely covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days before topping and serving.
When ready to serve, sprinkle sugar evenly over the top of each chilled custard (about 1 to 1½ teaspoons each). Using a blow torch, caramelize the sugar until dark amber and bubbling. Serve immediately.
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Notes
Use a mesh sieve for the smoothest custard. Strain the vanilla bean and cream mixture before adding the cream to the eggs. Strain the custard mixture before transferring it to the ramekins and discard the vanilla pod. These two straining steps will result in the smoothest velvet-like custard.
Add the hot cream mixture to the egg mixture slowly. For a creamy and smooth custard, temper the egg yolks slowly by adding the hot heavy cream mixture a little at a time while whisking continuously. If you pour the cream in too quickly you will risk scrambling the egg yolks.
Transfer the custard to a measuring cup with a spout. Use a large measuring cup or a medium bowl with a spout to easily pour the custard into the ramekins for baking. This will prevent spilling and assist with evenly distributing the custard.
Use 6-ounce ramekins. This recipe works best with 6-ounce ramekins. If you use larger or smaller ramekins, adjust the cooking time and cook until the edges are set but the center wobbles slightly when gently shaken. If you use a shallow ramekin, you’ll have more surface area for the sugar topping, but be sure to reduce the baking time.
Add the boiling water slowly. Slowly and carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish until it comes halfway up the side of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash any water into the custard. This water bath is essential to a creamy, smooth creme brulee, so don’t skip it.
Alternate water bath option. Typically, you pour the hot water into the baking dish after the filled ramekins are already placed in it. If you find this difficult, or your baking dish is a tight fit with the ramekins, you can fill the dish first with enough water to cover the bottom by ½ inch, then add the empty ramekins, and fill with custard.
Keep the kitchen torch moving to evenly caramelize the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer atop the custard and make sure it completely covers the custard and touches the sides of the ramekins. Keep the torch moving to evenly caramelize the sugar and prevent the sugar from burning.