Classic Crème Brûlée
Rich, silky custard with a caramelized sugar crust. A restaurant-quality French dessert that looks impressive but requires only basic ingredients and patience.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 5g
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 325°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pour the heavy cream and whole milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until steam rises from the surface and a few tiny bubbles appear at the edges, about 5 minutes — do not let it boil.
- 3
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until blended.
- 4
Put the 5 egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar into a medium bowl and whisk together with a fork until the mixture turns pale yellow and becomes thick, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to combine and prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- 6
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup or bowl to remove any small cooked egg bits, pressing gently with a spoon.
- 7
Pour the custard equally into four shallow ramekins or heatproof ceramic cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- 8
Place the filled ramekins inside a large baking dish, then pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins — this water bath keeps the custard creamy and prevents cracking.
- 9
Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the custard edges are set but the center jiggles slightly when you gently shake a ramekin.
- 10
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water bath for 5 minutes.
- 11
Carefully lift the ramekins out of the water bath using tongs or a small towel, then refrigerate them uncovered for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days until completely chilled.
- 12
When ready to serve, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the remaining sugar evenly over the surface of each custard, covering it completely.
- 13
Use a kitchen torch to hold the flame about 2 inches above the sugar surface and move it slowly back and forth until the sugar melts, turns amber-brown like butterscotch, and begins to bubble — this takes about 1 minute per ramekin.
- 14
Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for 2 minutes at room temperature before serving — you'll hear a satisfying crack when you tap it with a spoon.
Tools you’ll need
- medium saucepan
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- whisk
- fine-mesh strainer
- measuring cup
- four shallow ramekins or heatproof ceramic cups
- large baking dish
- tongs or small kitchen towel
- kitchen torch
- spoon
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