Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Arrange 4 (4–6 oz) ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan with enough room to pour hot water later.

Split vanilla and infuse

Using a sharp knife, split the Madagascar vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put the scraped seeds and the pod into a medium saucepan with 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk.

Heat cream

Warm the cream-milk mixture over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let the vanilla steep for 15 minutes to deeply infuse flavor.

Whisk yolks

While the cream steeps, place 6 large egg yolks in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for custard) and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, slightly pale, and the sugar is dissolved.

Temper eggs

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Continue to pour the remaining cream in a slow, steady stream while whisking until fully combined.

Strain custard

Pass the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or large measuring cup to remove any coagulated bits and remaining vanilla pod pieces.

Fill ramekins

Divide the strained custard evenly among the prepared ramekins, leaving a small gap at the top (about 1/4 inch).

Set up water bath

Place the baking dish with filled ramekins in the oven rack, then carefully pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins (use about 1 cup hot water to start; add more as needed).

Bake

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 30–40 minutes, or until the custard is set at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center when gently shaken. Baking time will vary with ramekin size—start checking at 30 minutes.

Cool and chill

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool to room temperature on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled and fully set.

Prepare sugar for torching

When ready to serve, remove ramekins from refrigerator and pat the tops dry with a paper towel to remove any condensation. Evenly sprinkle 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar over the surface of each custard so there is a thin, uniform layer.

Caramelize sugar

Using a handheld kitchen torch, hold the flame about 2–3 inches from the sugar and move the torch in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber color, forming a hard caramel crust. If you don't have a torch, place ramekins under a preheated broiler on high for 1–3 minutes, watching constantly and rotating as needed to avoid burning.

Set and serve

Allow the caramel crust to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes before serving so it snaps when tapped with a spoon. Serve immediately for best contrast between creamy custard and crisp caramel.

Notes: Ensure ramekins are ovenproof and sit level in the baking dish. Use a kettle or microwave to heat water for the bain-marie before pouring into the pan to avoid shocking the custards. If using larger ramekins or more than four, increase baking time and water amount so the water still reaches halfway up the ramekins' sides.