Classic French Crème Brûlée
A rich and velvety vanilla bean custard topped with a brittle layer of caramelized sugar.
Ingredients
Custard
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
Instructions
Heat Cream
Preheat oven to 160°C. In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, salt, and scraped vanilla bean seeds. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
Whisk Yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.
Temper Eggs
Slowly whisk the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, a little at a time, to temper the eggs and prevent them from scrambling.
Strain and Pour
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, then pour evenly into four ramekins placed in a high-sided baking pan.
Water Bath
Pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
Chill and Caramelize
Remove ramekins from the water bath, let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Before serving, sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar on top of each and caramelize with a kitchen torch.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.