Crème Brûlée

Name: Crème Brûlée
Cook time: 190 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 600ml Heavy Cream; 6 large Egg Yolks; 120g Caster Sugar; 1 Vanilla Beans, split and scraped (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract); 60g Caster Sugar, for caramelizing; 1 pinches of Salt, fine

Silky, vanilla-scented crème brûlée with a satisfyingly crisp caramel top — a classic French dessert that's elegant yet simple to make at home. The rich custard is gently baked in a water bath until just set, then finished with a brittle layer of caramelized sugar for contrast in texture and flavor.

Silky, vanilla-scented crème brûlée with a satisfyingly crisp caramel top — a classic French dessert that's elegant yet simple to ... Show more

Traditional French Recipe

Health Grade

E+ · Indulgent

Time

3 hrs

Price

0,59 €

Calories

524 kcal

vegetarian

gluten free

low sodium

date night

Method

Heat the oven

Heat the oven to 300° F. Set a kettle or small saucepan of water on to heat for the water bath, and place a 4- to 6-ounce ramekin inside a small roasting pan so everything is ready when the custard is mixed.

Infuse the cream

Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan. If you're using the vanilla bean, split it lengthwise with a small knife, scrape the seeds into the cream, and add the pod too; if you're using vanilla extract instead, just set it aside for the moment. Add the salt and warm the cream over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until it's steaming and tiny bubbles appear around the edge; do not let it boil. Take the pan off the heat. If you used a bean, let it steep for 10 minutes; if you're using extract, stir it in off the heat instead.

Whisk yolk and sugar

Crack the egg and separate the egg yolk into a medium bowl, saving the white for another use. Add the caster sugar for the custard and whisk for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks slightly paler and smooth. You want it well combined, not whipped full of air.

Make the custard

If you used a vanilla bean, lift the pod out of the warm cream. While whisking the yolk mixture constantly, slowly pour in the warm cream a little at a time so the yolk heats gently instead of scrambling. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into the ramekin, then skim off any foam on top so the surface bakes up smooth and even.

Bake in water bath

Set the roasting pan with the filled ramekin on the oven rack or on the counter if that feels safer, then carefully pour in the hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekin. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a gentle wobble when you nudge the ramekin. Lift the ramekin out of the water bath and let it cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Chill until cold

Once the custard is no longer warm, cover the ramekin loosely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until completely cold and fully set. That long chill is what gives crème brûlée its signature cool, velvety center.

Caramelize the top

Sprinkle the remaining caster sugar in a thin, even layer over the surface of the chilled custard. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until it's a deep amber glass, moving the flame constantly so one spot doesn't burn; if you don't have a torch, use a very hot broiler and watch it constantly. Let the top harden for 1 to 2 minutes, then serve right away so it stays beautifully crackly.

Ingredients

Method

For 6 servings

Adjust servings

For the custard

600ml Heavy Cream
6 large Egg Yolks
120g Caster Sugar
1 Vanilla Beans, split and scraped (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
1 pinches of Salt, fine

For the brûléed top

60g Caster Sugar, for caramelizing

🧂 Plus ~1g of salt

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

524 kcal

26% of Daily kcal

Protein

5.3 g

11% RDI

Fat

41 g

22g sat fat

Carbs

34 g

12% RDI

Sugar

33 g

66% RDI

Fiber

0 g

0% RDI

Salt

0 g

1% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

E+ · 3.5 / 10

Comments

Click to rate

Ingredients

For 6 servings

Adjust servings

For the custard

600ml Heavy Cream
6 large Egg Yolks
120g Caster Sugar
1 Vanilla Beans, split and scraped (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
1 pinches of Salt, fine

For the brûléed top

60g Caster Sugar, for caramelizing

🧂 Plus ~1g of salt

Crème Brûlée

Method

Heat the oven

Infuse the cream

Whisk yolk and sugar

Make the custard

Bake in water bath

Chill until cold

Caramelize the top

Ingredients

Method

For the custard

For the brûléed top

Nutrition

Calories

Protein

Fat

Carbs

Sugar

Fiber

Salt

Quality Profile

Comments

Ingredients

For the custard

For the brûléed top

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