This simple to prepare Crème Brûlée recipe is a delicious baked custard topped off with caramelized sugar for the perfect dessert.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 45 minutesminutes
Cooling Time: 2 hourshours
Equipment
creme brulee dishes or ramekins
Ingredients
2vanilla beans
1quartheavy whipping cream
12egg yolks
1cupsugar + 6 teaspoons
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Cut the beans in half longways and scrape out all of the seeds using a small knife. See note. Transfer the seeds to a medium size sauce pot and pour in the heavy cream.
Cook the pot over low heat until scalded. See note.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined.
Next, add in a small amount of the scalded cream to the egg-sugar mixture and whisk gently until combined to temper the eggs. Pour in the remaining hot cream and gently mix until combined.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pouring bowl or a regular bowl.
Place 6 crème brulee ramekins into a cookie sheet tray and evenly pour the crème brulee batter into the ramekins. See note.
Put the tray onto the oven rack and pour in enough warm water to fill up the tray to the ½ way mark on the crème brulee ramekins. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until firm in the center.
Remove from the water and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Transfer to the fridge and cool completely for 60-90 minutes.
1Remove from the fridge and add 1 tablespoon of sugar to each crème brulee ramekin. Using a torch in 1 hand and the ramekin in the other caramelize the sugar moving the sugar around to help spread. See note.
1Serve with whipped cream, fresh berries and mint.
Notes
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make this up to 2 days ahead of time.How to Store: Cover in plastic while in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This does not freeze well as it will turn into the soup once thawed.If you tilt the pot backward or forward and see mini bubbles that form on the bottom of the pan while cooking, the cream has been scalded.You only want to pour a small amount of the hot cream in at the beginning to bring the eggs up to temperature without scrambling them.If you do not have a pourable container, pour it into a bowl and use a ladle to transfer the custard to the ramekins.It is best to hold the ramekin in one hand and the torch in the other and move the ramekin around to move the sugar around as it caramelizes.Be sure to cover the dessert in the refrigerator, or it will pick up other smells from food.The most important part of any torch is finding one that is easy to refill, stands up straight when setting it down, and can adjust the flame output.