I never realized how easy it is to make crème brûlée until I started developing this recipe. It takes a bit of time to make, but the custard utilizes just 4 ingredients! Thicken on the stovetop, bake in the oven, chill, then brûlée! The custard is so rich and creamy, and the caramel top is ridiculously crunchy and delicious! This is one of my favorite easy elevated desserts to make for dinner parties.
I love making crème brûlée at home! Once I got the method down, it was super easy to make– all I needed was time for the custard to chill and set. This luxurious custard treat is so creamy and so flavorful. I can’t believe I never made it at home before, and I don’t think I’ll ever order it out again!
What’s in This Crème Brûlée Recipe?
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Forms the base of the custard, making it rich and creamy. You must use heavy cream in this recipe! Lower fat milks will not set correctly.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Adds rich vanilla flavor to the custard. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute the caviar from two vanilla beans.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the custard and forms the crackly crust on top. As much as I enjoy all kinds of sugar, use plain white granulated sugar for this recipe. No other sugar caramelizes quite the same.
- Egg Yolks: Thicken and bind the custard. Save the leftover whites to make my favorite baked Alaska!
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How to Store and Reheat
As it says in the recipe, don’t heat the sugar on top to caramelize it until just before you’re ready to serve it. I’ve found that completed crème brûlée doesn’t keep well in the refrigerator. However, you can keep the custard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before adding the caramelized topping and serving. It’s a great make-ahead dessert!
Tips for Success
- I recommend using ramekins that are no taller than 1-inch. Taller ramekins will take longer to cook and are easier to burn on top— if using taller ramekins, you may need to cook the creme brulee up to 1 hour and cover the tops of the crème brûlées for the second half of baking.
- Avoid getting any water in the pudding! Even a drop of water could mess with the other ingredients and ruin the smooth consistency.
- Crème brûlée needs about 35-40 minutes to fully cook. If it’s undercooked, the consistency will be a bit liquidy and not quite set. Double-check that your desserts are fully cooked by giving the roasting pan a gentle shake. You’ll know it’s ready when the rème is set in the center and it only slightly jiggles.
- A kitchen torch certainly makes things a whole lot easier when making this classic French dessert, but no, you can caramelize the sugar in other ways! You can place the crème brûlées under the broiler to caramelize the sugar, but be sure to keep a close eye on them! A tip I learned a long time ago is to heat a metal spoon over the stove, then once it’s nice and hot, you can heat the sugar with it and it will caramelize. Be careful not to burn your hands!
Crème Brûlée Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups granulated sugar divided
- 6 large egg yolks
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Ramekins
- Kitchen Torch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 8 ramekins into a large cake or roasting pan. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, mix the heavy whipping cream and vanilla bean paste together. When the mixture starts to bubble, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.3 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of sugar with the egg yolks. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow in color.1½ cups granulated sugar, 6 large egg yolks
- Slowly drizzle in the cream, stirring continuously, until it is fully incorporated into the egg mixture.
- Divide the mixture between your ramekins, making sure that they are filled until about ¼-inch from the tops.
- Fill the large cake or roasting pan with hot water until the waterline is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully place it in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crème has set in the center. It should jiggle only slightly when shaken.
- Once finished, remove the ramekins from the pan and allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of sugar over each ramekin and brûlée it with a kitchen torch. Serve immediately.
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