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Creamy Vanilla Crème Brûlée Recipe

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Classic French dessert featuring a rich and creamy vanilla custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramelized sugar. This Crème Brûlée recipe is cooked in a water bath for a smooth texture and finished by torching sugar to create a perfect caramel crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Custard

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 10 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Brûlée Topping

  • 4 tablespoons sugar (2 teaspoons per ramekin)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F and position the rack in the middle. Arrange six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. Prepare Vanilla Bean: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the dull side of a knife to release the vanilla flavor.
  3. Warm the Cream: In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, 4 tablespoons of sugar, the vanilla bean pod and seeds, and kosher salt. Heat over medium heat until the cream just begins to simmer.
  4. Infuse the Cream: Remove from heat and cover the cream mixture. Let it stand for 15 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor fully. If using vanilla extract instead, skip this step.
  5. Whisk Egg Yolks and Sugar: Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and whisk gently until combined, taking care to not mix too early to avoid lumps.
  6. Temper the Yolks: While whisking continuously, gradually add a ladle of hot cream to the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Repeat two to three times.
  7. Combine Custard Mixture: Slowly add the remaining warm cream while whisking. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove solids and the vanilla pod.
  8. Fill Ramekins: Pour the custard evenly into each ramekin, filling about three-quarters full or just up to the inner rim.
  9. Prepare Water Bath: Boil water in a kettle or pot. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches about two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins, being careful not to splash water into the custards.
  10. Bake the Custards: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 38 to 40 minutes. The custards should have a slight jiggle in the center when gently shaken and the edges should be set.
  11. Cool and Chill: Remove the baking dish from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the ramekins cool in the water bath for about 15 minutes until safe to handle. Then remove the ramekins from the water bath, skim any bubbles off the surface, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
  12. Brûlée the Custards: When ready to serve, remove ramekins from the fridge. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the surface of each custard. Using a kitchen torch held about 4 inches away, melt and caramelize the sugar with a circular motion until it forms a hardened caramel crust with a golden tint. Repeat sprinkling sugar and torching once more for a thicker crust.
  13. Serve: Allow the brûléed custards to cool for 2 minutes to set the crust, then serve within 20 minutes. Use a spoon to gently crack the caramelized sugar surface and enjoy the creamy custard underneath.

Notes

  • If you don’t have a vanilla bean, vanilla extract is a good substitute, but skip the infusing step.
  • Separating the eggs and warming the cream properly helps create a smooth custard texture without lumps.
  • Be careful not to overbake or the custard will become firm like Jell-O rather than silky.
  • Use a kitchen torch for the best caramelized sugar crust. If unavailable, you can broil quickly but watch closely to avoid burning.
  • Chilling the custard for at least 4 hours ensures it sets fully before torched.

Keywords: Crème Brûlée, French dessert, custard, caramelized sugar, vanilla custard, classic dessert

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/creamy-vanilla-creme-brulee-recipe/