Classic Crème Brûlée
Classic crème brûlée is a baked vanilla custard with a thin layer of sugar torched on top until it forms a firm, crackable crust. Made with egg yolks, heavy cream, and vanilla, the custard is set in shallow ramekins in a water bath and chilled before serving. The whole process takes around 1 hour of prep and baking, plus at least 4 hours to chill.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Fine Mesh Sieve
- 1 Ramekins
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Kitchen torch
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream Use high-quality cream for the best texture
- 1 whole vanilla bean Split and scraped or 1 tbsp of pure vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks Preferably organic
- ½ cup granulated sugar Fine sugar works best
- ¼ cup sugar For caramelizing the top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and vanilla bean (or vanilla extract). Heat over medium heat until it is just about to boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let it infuse for about 15 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture becomes pale in color.
- Slowly pour the warmed cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously to prevent cooking the eggs.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the vanilla bean and any cooked egg bits.
- Divide the mixture into four ramekins placed in a baking dish.
- Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the custard is set but still jiggly in the center.
- Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Before serving, evenly sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar to a crisp brown crust.
Notes
Lori’s Tips
- For a deeper vanilla flavor, infuse the cream overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.
- Carefully watch the sugar while caramelizing to avoid burning.
Nutrition
Calories: 632kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 7gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 410mgSodium: 45mgPotassium: 142mgSugar: 41gVitamin A: 2117IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg
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