Crème Brûlée Recipe

Preparation and Brûlée

1. 1

   Prepare the Vanilla Cream

   In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and the scraped seeds of the vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it simmers, remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Whisk Egg Yolks

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.

3. 3

   Combine Mixtures

   After the cream has steeped, slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. This prevents the yolks from scrambling.

4. 4

   Strain Custard

   Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any curdled bits and the vanilla bean pod.

5. 5

   Bake the Custards

   Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pour the custard into ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.

6. 6

   Cool and Chill

   Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

7. 7

   Brûlée the Sugar

   When ready to serve, sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar over the top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden crust. Allow the sugar to cool and harden before serving.