Description
This Simple Homemade Creme Brulee recipe delivers a classic French dessert with a rich, creamy vanilla custard base topped with a perfectly caramelized crunchy sugar crust. Easy to prepare using basic ingredients, it combines smoothness and crispiness in every bite, making it an elegant and delightful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 5 large Egg Yolks
- 1 bean Vanilla Bean (or substitute with vanilla essence)
Topping
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) to prepare it for baking the custard in a water bath.
- Heat Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and pale in color, indicating it’s well combined.
- Temper Eggs: Gradually pour the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from curdling and to gently raise their temperature.
- Add Vanilla: Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, then stir them into the custard mixture for rich vanilla flavor.
- Strain Custard: Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl to remove any cooked egg bits and vanilla pod pieces for a smooth texture.
- Pour into Ramekins: Pour the smooth custard into individual ramekins, filling each evenly.
- Prepare Water Bath: Place the ramekins in a baking dish and carefully add hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins to ensure gentle, even cooking.
- Bake: Bake the ramekins for 30-35 minutes until the edges are set but the center remains slightly wobbly, indicating perfect doneness.
- Cool and Chill: Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool them to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the custard fully set and chill.
- Caramelize Sugar: Before serving, sprinkle brown sugar evenly on top of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to carefully caramelize the sugar until it forms a crisp, golden crust.
- Serve: Allow the caramelized sugar to harden for a minute, then serve immediately and enjoy the delightful contrast of creamy custard and crunchy topping.
Notes
- For a smoother texture, ensure the custard is properly strained before baking.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can place the ramekins under a broiler for a minute or two to caramelize the sugar, but watch closely to avoid burning.
- Use high-quality vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Make sure the water bath water is hot when adding to the baking dish to maintain consistent baking temperature.
- Cream with higher fat content ensures richer custard.
