Homemade Crème Brulée Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Arrange six 6-ounce ramekins in a deep roasting pan or baking dish with sides high enough to accommodate a water bath.

Infuse the cream

Place the heavy cream and whole milk in a medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk, then add the bean pod as well (if using extract, add later). Heat the cream mixture over medium heat until just simmering and small bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse vanilla flavor.

Mix yolks and sugar

While the cream steeps, whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for custard), and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale. Do not whip air into the yolks—stir gently until combined.

Temper and combine

Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream. Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot cream into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Continue adding the rest of the cream slowly, whisking until fully combined. If using vanilla extract instead of a bean, stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the combined custard now.

Strain the custard

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to remove any cooked bits of egg and any vanilla pod fragments. This ensures an ultra-smooth texture.

Portion into ramekins

Divide the custard evenly among the six ramekins, filling each nearly to the top but leaving a little room to avoid overflow when the water is added.

Place the filled ramekins in the roasting pan. Carefully pour the hot (not boiling) water into the pan around the ramekins until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (use approximately 3–4 cups, top off with hot tap water as needed).

Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 30–40 minutes, or until the custards are mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center when gently shaken. Rotate the pan once halfway through baking for even cooking if your oven has hot spots.

Remove the ramekins from the water bath using tongs or a spatula and place them on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature, then cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours or up to 2 days to fully set and chill.

Prepare sugar

About 10 minutes before serving, remove the chilled ramekins from the refrigerator and wipe any condensation from the surface with a paper towel.

Add sugar

Evenly sprinkle about 1 level tablespoon of the 1/2 cup granulated sugar over the surface of each chilled custard, shaking off any large clumps. The sugar layer should be thin and even to ensure smooth caramelization.

Caramelize with a torch

Using a kitchen blowtorch, hold the flame 2–3 inches from the sugar and move it in a slow circular motion until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Allow the caramel to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes before serving.

Alternative broiler method

If you don't have a torch, place the ramekins on a baking sheet and set them under a very hot broiler on high about 4–6 inches from the heat. Broil briefly — typically 1–3 minutes — watching constantly until the sugar melts and colors. Remove immediately and let cool to harden.

Serve the crème brûlée at once after the caramel has cooled and hardened so the sugar crust is crisp. To eat, crack the caramel with a spoon and spoon the creamy custard beneath. Leftovers can be refrigerated, but the caramel crust will soften over time.