Crème Brûlée is one of my absolute favorite desserts and it’s actually surprisingly easy to make at home. Your family is going to love this dessert and once you find out how easy it is to make you’re going to be making this for them all the time!
Many people consider this classic dessert a must-have when visiting a fancy restaurant. But did you know that with a few simple ingredients and a few steps, you can learn how to make Crème Brûlée.
While Crème Brûlée may be a dessert that requires patience in crafting, the reward of its delectable flavor is far too great to ignore. Those with a sweet tooth looking to try their hand at a classic French dish should not pass up the chance to make this amazing dessert. So, get out your ramekins and get cooking!
What is Crème Brûlée?
Crème Brûlée is a sophisticated dessert originating from France. Known for its rich creamy custard base and a top layer of hardened caramelized sugar. It’s well-loved worldwide for the contrasting textures and flavors of the smooth custard and the crisp, sweet caramel topping.
This dessert often garners intrigue due to the unique culinary process of caramelizing the sugar with a torch to achieve the hard shell of caramel, which is then cracked open to reveal the creamy custard beneath. It’s a memorable delicacy that offers a unique balance of creaminess, sweetness, and crunchiness.
Ingredients
- Heavy cream
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
How to make Crème Brûlée
Preheat your oven to 325° F
Warm the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg yolks and granulated sugar together for 5 minutes until it has thick consistency and a pale yellow color.
Gradually add the cream and vanilla mixture, you want to do this step slowly so the eggs don’t curdle.
Divide the custard between the ramekins and place them in a large baking dish and then pour hot water into the pan covering about 3/4 of the ramekins.
Bake the custard at 325° F for about 35-40 minutes until the custard is set but slightly jiggly in the center.’
When the custard is done baking, remove the ramekins for the baking pan, cool off completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I like to use my cake pans that have lids, it’s much easier and convenient than using plastic wrap.
Sprinkle granulated sugar over the custard and using a culinary torch, brown the sugar until it has crispy topping.
FAQ
Can I store egg white? Don’t toss the egg whites. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can store them in the fridge for up to two days or you can freeze them. You can mix them with other eggs and make omelet’s, scrambled eggs, meringue or brownies.
Can I make this ahead of time? You can prepare the custard filling, but do not bake. Instead cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic is resting directly on the custard top, and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you decide to bake them ahead of time, do not add the sugar topping. Instead allow the to cool, cover with plastic and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Add the sugar and broil just before serving.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- These are the tools I use when making this recipe!
- Medium Rosti Bowl This is the one pictured in this recipe, I love my Rosti bowls, they’re durable, versatile, non-slip and have their own lids. I use these bowls for just about every meal I cook..
- Culinary Torch– I’ve tried other torches but this one always gives me the best results, it’s safe and easy to use.
- Baking Dish– I love using these Wilton non-stick baking pans, they’re durable and come with their own lids.
- GreenPan Sauce pan– GreenPan’s healthy non-stick coating make cooking a breeze and cleanup is even easier.
- Silicone Whisk–These are the whisks I use with my Greenpans to keep them damage free.
- Ramekins–I love these oval ramekins, the 4 oz size is perfect for this dessert.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
Maid-Rite Sandwiches – Copycat
Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 egg yolks
- ⅓ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F
- Heat 2 cups heavy cream and 2 tsp vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl beat together 6 egg yolks and ⅓ cup sugar for about 5 minutes until it has a thicker consistency and a pale color.
- Gradually add the cream and vanilla mixture to eggs until combined, stirring constantly.
- Divide the mixture between 8 ramekins, place in a large baking pan. Pour hot water into the pan about halfway up the side of the ramekins.
- Bake at 325° F for 35-40 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Remove from the oven, removed the ramekins from the pan, cool completely and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, sprinkle sugar over the ramekins and using a culinary torch, brown the sugar to caramelize the top.
