Crème Brûlée Recipe
Traditional vanilla custard with a hard caramel top
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Ingredients
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Custard Base
Caramel Topping
Method
Prepare the Custard
Heat the Cream
In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean along with the pod over medium heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.
Mix Sugar and Yolks
In a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and egg yolks until the mixture is pale and creamy.
Combine Mixtures
Gradually add the warm cream to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.
Strain the Mixture
Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any coagulated egg bits and the vanilla pod.
Bake the Custard
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 about 30-35 minutes or until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
Cool the Custard
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Caramelize the Sugar
Prepare the Caramel
In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan gently until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color. Be careful not to burn it.
Caramelize the Custard
Remove the custards from the refrigerator. Carefully pour a thin layer of caramel over each custard. Use a torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a hard, crispy layer.