Description
Indulgent French classic Crème Brûlée delights with silky custard and caramelized sugar crown, promising a luxurious dessert experience. Crack through the crisp caramel top to reveal smooth, rich vanilla-infused cream that melts perfectly on your palate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups (946 ml) heavy cream
- 9 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 vanilla bean (scraped) or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Seasoning:
- 1 pinch of salt
- Additional sugar for topping
Instructions
- Calibrate the oven to 325F (165C), positioning a baking dish with 4-6 ramekins ready for preparation.
- Gently heat cream in a saucepan over medium temperature, incorporating vanilla until aromatic but not bubbling. Allow flavor infusion for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat source.
- Whisk egg yolks with sugar and salt until the mixture transforms into a pale, silky consistency.
- Temper the egg mixture by slowly streaming hot cream while continuously whisking to prevent protein coagulation.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve, eliminating potential lumps and vanilla pod fragments for a smooth texture.
- Distribute custard evenly into ramekins, then create a water bath by carefully adding hot water halfway up the ramekin sides.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until custards display a subtle central wobble, indicating perfect setting.
- Extract ramekins from water bath, allowing natural cooling to room temperature. Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours until thoroughly chilled.
- Prior to serving, dust a delicate sugar layer across custard surface and caramelize using a kitchen torch until achieving a golden, crackling top.
Notes
- Prevent curdling by slowly adding hot cream to egg mixture while whisking constantly, which helps temper the eggs and create a smooth texture.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients like organic heavy cream and farm-fresh egg yolks for the most luxurious and rich flavor profile.
- Create perfect water bath by using hot water and ensuring it reaches exactly halfway up ramekin sides to guarantee even, gentle cooking of delicate custard.
- Customize the dessert by experimenting with flavor variations like lavender, coffee, or orange zest infused into the cream during heating process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 487
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 29 mg
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 27 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 385 mg