Crème Brûlée Recipe

Preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place six 6-ounce (180 ml) ramekins in a deep roasting pan or baking dish that will accommodate them with space between. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath.

Infuse cream with vanilla

Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into the cream, then add the scraped pod as well. Warm the cream over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges (do not let it boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse.

Whisk yolks and sugar

While the cream is steeping, place the egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for custard), and the fine sea salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, pale, and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes).

Temper and combine

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream and discard (or save for another use). Slowly pour about 1/3 of the warm cream into the yolk mixture in a thin steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Continue pouring the remaining cream slowly while whisking until fully combined and smooth.

Strain and portion

For an extra-silky texture, pour the combined custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring jug or bowl. Divide the strained custard evenly among the six prepared ramekins (about 4–5 ounces / 120–150 ml per ramekin).

Bake in a water bath

Place the roasting pan with ramekins on the oven rack. Carefully pour the hot boiling water into the roasting pan around the ramekins until it reaches halfway up their sides (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm). Bake at 325°F (160°C) until the custards are mostly set but still slightly wobbly in the center, 30–35 minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes as oven temps vary.

Cool and chill

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and transfer them to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days to fully set and chill.

Prepare sugar

When ready to serve, remove the chilled ramekins from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to reduce extreme cold (this helps prevent cracking when caramelizing). Sprinkle an even, thin layer of the 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for topping) over each custard, about 1–2 tablespoons per ramekin, tilting and tapping to distribute if needed.

Caramelize sugar

Using a kitchen torch, hold the flame about 2–3 inches (5–7 cm) from the sugar and move it in a slow circular motion until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber color, forming a hard glass-like crust. This should take about 1–3 minutes per ramekin depending on torch strength. If you don't have a torch, place the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil on high 3–6 inches from the broiler for 2–4 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning; rotate as needed for even caramelization.

Set the crust

Allow the caramelized sugar to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes before serving. The crust will crack when tapped with a spoon.

Garnish each crème brûlée with a small handful of fresh berries and a mint leaf, if using. Serve immediately so the sugar crust is crisp and the custard beneath is cool and creamy.