Crème Brûlée
Elegant. Silky. Irresistibly crackable.
This timeless French dessert pairs rich, vanilla-infused custard with a crisp caramelised sugar top you can tap. It’s the perfect make-ahead treat that feels luxurious but is surprisingly simple to master.
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Crème Brûlée
Servings: 3
A classic French dessert with a smooth, velvety custard and a beautifully caramelised sugar topping.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups 500ml heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean split and scraped (or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup 100g granulated caster sugar
- 1/4 cup 50g light brown sugar, for topping
- Preheat your oven to 160°C.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C.
- Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Warm it up gently without letting it come to a boil. To elevate the flavour, add in the vanilla extract or vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Stir the mixture and let the vanilla infuse into the cream. You’ll start to see the beautiful specks of vanilla throughout the cream. Once warmed, remove it from the heat.
- In a separate mixing bowl, separate the egg yolks from the whites. Place only the yolks into the bowl. Add the caster sugar to the egg yolks and whisk them together until the mixture turns smooth, pale, and slightly thickened.
- Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This process, called tempering, ensures that the eggs gradually warm up without scrambling. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- To make sure the custard is silky, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug. This step removes any curdled bits and ensures a smooth texture.
- Place your ramekins into a deep baking dish. Pour the custard mixture evenly into the ramekins. To ensure even cooking, create a water bath by carefully pouring hot water into the baking dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the dish with foil.
- Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the custards have set with a slight wobble in the centre. Once done, remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the custards for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, to fully set. This step enhances the flavour and texture.
- Before serving, sprinkle a fine, even layer of light brown sugar on top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelise the sugar by moving the flame in circular motions until the sugar melts and turns golden brown. If using a broiler, place the ramekins under it for a minute or two, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Let the caramelised sugar set for a moment before serving. Crack into the crispy topping and enjoy the creamy custard beneath.
Notes
NOTE: The egg whites can be saved for another recipe, like pavlova or amaretti biscuits, and even stored in the freezer for later use.
