Crème Brulee Recipe

Preheat and prepare ramekins

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place six 6-ounce (180 ml) ramekins in a roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold them without touching. Arrange a kitchen towel in the bottom of the pan to prevent shifting, if desired.

Split vanilla bean

Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with the back of the knife. Reserve both seeds and pod.

Heat cream and milk

Combine heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla seeds and the scraped pod, and half of the custard sugar (3 tablespoons) in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until just simmering (small bubbles at the edge), about 5–7 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse vanilla.

Whisk yolks and sugar

While cream steeps, whisk the egg yolks, remaining custard sugar, and salt in a bowl until the mixture lightens slightly and the sugar begins to dissolve, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper eggs

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. Slowly pour about one-third of the hot cream into the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream, stirring to combine.

Strain custard

Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to remove any cooked bits and any remaining vanilla pod fragments for a smooth custard.

Fill ramekins

Divide the strained custard evenly among the six prepared ramekins (about 4.5–5 ounces / 130–140 ml each).

Prepare water bath and bake

Place the ramekins in the roasting pan. Carefully pour the hot water into the pan around the ramekins until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (use the hot water measured for the water bath). Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake until the custards are set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 35–40 minutes. A tester (skewer) inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a slight custard coating.

Cool

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and place them on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours to fully set.

Prepare for torching

When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of the topping granulated sugar evenly over the surface of each chilled custard. Tilt and tap the ramekin to level the sugar into a thin, even coating. If you prefer a thicker crust, use up to 2 teaspoons per ramekin.

Caramelize sugar

Using a kitchen blowtorch, melt and caramelize the sugar by moving the flame in a slow, steady circular motion about 2–3 inches from the surface until the sugar liquefies and turns a deep amber color, about 1–2 minutes. Allow the caramel to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes. If you don't have a torch, place ramekins under a very hot broiler set ~6 inches from the heat source and broil for 2–4 minutes watching constantly to avoid burning; rotate as necessary.

Garnish and serve

Top each brûlée with a small handful of fresh mixed berries and an optional mint leaf. Serve immediately so the sugar crust remains crisp.