Crème Brûlée
A classic créme brûlée is a simple yet elegant custard dessert featuring a rich base of eggs, cream, and sugar, topped with a crisp caramelized sugar crust.
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Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 F and boil water for a bain-marie.
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Split a vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
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Combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla bean (or extract/paste) in a saucepan; simmer, then steep for 10 minutes, removing the bean after.
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Arrange 6 (4-ounce) ramekins in a 9x13-inch baking pan.
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Whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and salt until blended.
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Slowly whisk 3/4 cup hot cream into egg yolks, then gradually whisk in the remaining hot cream until blended.
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Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
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Divide custard evenly among the ramekins.
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Carefully add 1 inch of boiling water to the baking pan, then place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until soft-set (170-175 F).
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Cool custards for 45-60 minutes on a rack.
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Refrigerate cooled custards for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days, loosely covered.
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Before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar over each chilled ramekin and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a hard top.