Description
A classic French dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk (preferably 2% or whole)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (see note for using a whole vanilla bean)
- 8 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and milk until just barely simmering and immediately remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined.
- Slowly ladle the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly and quickly.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the middle position. Heat about 4 quarts water until steaming.
- Place ramekins in a baking pan with at least 2-inch sides.
- Ladle the cream mixture into 6 ramekins (about 7- to 8-ounce).
- Place the pan of filled ramekins on the oven rack and pour the hot water into the pan around the ramekins until the water comes up halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake the crème brûlée for 40 to 45 minutes for deep ramekins and 30 to 35 minutes for shallow ramekins, until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven so water doesn’t splash into the baked crème brûlée.
- Using a large, flat spatula, immediately remove the ramekins from the hot water and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, cover the ramekins and refrigerate until fully chilled, 6 hours or up to 3 days.
- About 30 minutes before serving, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator. Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top of each crème brûlée.
- Using a kitchen torch on medium heat, slowly run the torch across the sugar until all the sugar is melted and forms a caramelized, golden top.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate (uncovered) 30 to 45 minutes until ready to serve.
Notes
- For using a whole vanilla bean, split the bean open and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture.
- The caramelized top can soften a bit if it refrigerates longer than an hour or so.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 250mg