Crème Brûlée Recipe

Prepare the Cream

In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the cream, and add the pod. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let it steep for about 15 minutes.

Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture is thick and pale in color.

Combine Mixtures

Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream and slowly pour the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.

Pour into Ramekins

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Pour the mixture into ramekins, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake the Custards

Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C) for about 30-40 minutes, or until the custards are set but still slightly jiggly in the center.

Chill

Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Caramelize the Sugar

Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar over the chilled custards. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a crispy crust. If you do not have a torch, you can place the ramekins under a broiler for a few minutes.

Serve

Allow the crème brûlée to sit for a minute before serving to let the sugar crust harden.