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Amazing Crème Brûlée: 1 Secret Trick

Crème Brûlée
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This is our classic Crème Brûlée recipe, giving you a silky vanilla custard base topped with a perfectly crisp, glassy layer of caramelized sugar. We are sharing this memory of a perfect Parisian dessert with you.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place six 6-ounce ramekins in a large roasting pan.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream and the scraped vanilla bean seeds (and the pod, if using) over medium heat until it just simmers. Remove from heat. If using extract, wait until step 4.
  3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream.
  4. Slowly whisk about a half cup of the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper it. Then, slowly whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining cream. Stir in the vanilla extract now if you are using it. Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or measuring cup.
  5. Pour the custard evenly into the prepared ramekins.
  6. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.
  8. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath. Let them cool on a wire rack, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
  9. Before serving, sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the top of each chilled custard.
  10. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it melts and forms a hard, amber crust. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Using a water bath (bain-marie) is key for a smooth, evenly baked custard.
  • Make sure the sugar layer is thin and even for the best crack.
  • The torch gives you that authentic, glassy finish Richard remembers from Paris.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/classic-creme-brulee-recipe/