Crème Brûlée Recipe
Creamy custard topped with a burnt sugar shell
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Ingredients
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Custard
Finishing
Method
Custard
- 1
- 2
Infuse cream
Pour the heavy cream and whole milk into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the cream, and add the pod. (If using vanilla extract, add it later.) Warm the cream over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges — do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse.
- 3
Mix yolks and sugar
While the cream is infusing, whisk the egg yolks, 1 cup granulated sugar, and fine sea salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.
- 4
Temper eggs
Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. If using vanilla extract instead of a pod, stir it into the warm cream now. 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 whisking and gradually add the remaining cream until fully incorporated.
- 5
Strain custard
Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to remove any curdled bits and the vanilla pod residue. This ensures an ultra-smooth custard.
- 6
Fill ramekins and bake in a water bath
Divide the custard evenly among the six ramekins. Pour hot (but not boiling) water into the baking dish around the ramekins until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the centers are set but still slightly jiggly (they will finish setting as they cool).
- 7
Cool and chill
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and place them on a wire rack. Let them 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.
Finishing
- 8
Prepare for caramelizing
When ready to serve, remove the chilled custards from the refrigerator and uncover them. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Gently shake or tap the ramekin to level the sugar into a thin, even layer.
- 9
Caramelize the sugar
Using a kitchen blowtorch, hold the flame about 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) above the sugar and move the flame in a slow circular motion until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber color, forming a hard glassy shell. This takes about 1–2 minutes per ramekin. If you don't have a torch, preheat the broiler and place the ramekins on a baking sheet under the hottest rack about 3–4 inches from the broiler element. Broil just until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching very closely (about 2–4 minutes). Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for 1–2 minutes.
- 10
Serve
Serve the crème brûlée immediately after the sugar has hardened so guests can enjoy the contrast between the crisp caramel and the creamy custard. Leftovers (without caramelized sugar) can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; if storing after caramelizing, cover loosely to avoid softening the crust.
