Creme Brulee is a classic dessert and one I’ve been making and enjoying for years. It is a recipe I make over and over again, especially around the holidays. It isn’t hard, but it always gets oohs and aahs from my family and friends.
To get started, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F and having boiling water on the stove ready to create a water bath to cook the custard. Take a large roasting pan with deep sides and place a damp kitchen towel in the bottom. This will keep the ramekins from sliding and will keep the custard smooth when baking.
To get started on the custard, on the stove top in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt and cook stirring occasionally until steam rises. This will take about 4 – 5 minutes.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth. Pour the hot cream into the yolks a little at a time, stirring constantly until blended.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. I pour that into a measuring cup so it is easy to pour. Place the four 6-ounce ramekins on the damp kitchen towel in the roasting pan. Pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins.
Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan being careful not to get water in the custard cups. The water should come up about half way on the outside of the ramekins. Loosely cover the pan with foil. This will help the custards steam and set while baking. Cook the custard for about 25 – 30 minutes until they are completely set an barely jiggling in the center. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours to completely set and chill.
Once they are completely chilled, place them on a cutting board. Sprinkle each dish with one tablespoon of white granulated sugar or brown sugar. Make sure it is evenly distributed over the top of the custard. Using a kitchen torch, heat the sugar with the flame constantly moving over the surface of the sugar until it is melted, bubbly and browned. This will cool into the crispy, crackling sugar crust we all love and crave.
If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can brown the sugar in a broiler in your oven. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet a couple of inches under the broiler and watch carefully. Broil until tops are browned, sugar has melted and that glazed top is bubbling. While this works, I really recommend investing in a kitchen torch. It is an inexpensive purchase and does the job much better since you can control where the heat is being applied. You may only use this kitchen tool a couple of times a year, but the results are so fabulous, this dessert will become a favorite and that torch will get used. You can make these the day ahead and cover in the refrigerator until ready to sugar and brulee the custard. Add the sugar and torch it right before serving.
If you like this elegant dessert, be sure to try some of my other favorites that are perfect for elegant occasions.
Pavlova with Blackberries & Ginger
Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Balsamic Raspberries
Crème Brulee
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Heavy cream
- ¼ Cup Plus 4 Tbsp. sugar
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 300 degrees and have boiling water ready to create a water bath.To ensure a smooth consistency, line the bottom of the roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel before adding the ramekins and boiling water.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, ¼ cup of sugar and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until steam rises (4-5 minutes).
- In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Pour hot cream into the yolks a little at a time, stirring constantly until blended. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and divide mixture among four 6 oz. ramekins. Place the ramekins in the baking pan you have lined with the kitchen towel and add the boiling water to the pan so that it comes halfway up sides of the ramekins.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake until custard is just set – about 25 – 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours.
- Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of sugar evenly over each custard cup. With a kitchen torch, move the flame continuously over the surface of the sugar until it is evenly melted, bubbly and browned.
