Make Crème Brulée

Crème brûlée, meaning "burnt cream," is a delicacy enjoyed by many. It has a sweet, creamy taste and a crunchy and smooth texture, all in the same bite. Fortunately, it is simple to make and will impress almost any guest.

Ingredients

  • 1 quart (945 ml) double cream
  • 2 vanilla pods, split evenly down the center (2 tsp vanilla extract as substitute)
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup (240 g) caster (superfine) sugar, divided

Steps

Heating the Cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 325º F (163º C).
  2. Prepare the vanilla pods. Using the knife, slice down the middle of the pods and split them open. Scrape out the pulp onto a clean surface and keep the leftover pods.
  3. Add the cream, vanilla pulp, and vanilla pods to a medium saucepan set on medium high.
  4. Heat the cream and vanilla mixture until it just begins to boil, or until soft bubbles begin forming at the sides of the saucepan. Once it starts boiling or bubbles start forming, remove the saucepan and its contents from the heat.
  5. Let the cream mixture stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Pick out the vanilla pods when the cream has finished cooling.

Cooking the Custard

  1. While the cream mixture cools, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar together. Whisk together until the yolks break up completely and the mixture changes to a slightly lighter color.
  2. Slowly incorporate the cream into the yolk mixture, bit by bit, stirring constantly. If you incorporate the cream in too quickly, the eggs may cook. Don't rush this step!
  3. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any grit.
  4. Pour cream into six ramekins resting on a high-walled roasting dish.
  5. Pour enough hot water into the tray to reach halfway up the ramekins. This set-up is known as a bain marie.
  6. Place the filled ramekins into the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When ready, they'll be set on the edges but "jiggly" at the center.
  7. Transfer the ramekins onto a cooling rack. Remove the crèmes brûlées from the oven when baked, and, taking great care as the ramekins will be very hot, transfer them out of the bain marie and onto a cooling rack. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
  8. Refrigerate them for up to 2 hours, covering ramekins in plastic wrap.

Caramelizing the Top

  1. Sprinkle the excess sugar over each crème brûlée. Make sure that the sugar coats the crème brûlée evenly. An uneven coat of sugar will make the caramelization harder.
  2. Quickly caramelize the top with the blow torch or a kitchen butane torch. Don't caramelize it for more than roughly 8-10 seconds. If you over-heat it, the sugar will turn black.
    • If you don't have a blowtorch, move the wire rack in the oven to its highest position and turn on the broiler. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet and place them underneath the broiler, twisting the ramekins often for even browning.
  3. Refrigerate for another 45 minutes before serving (optional). Letting them refrigerate for any longer may allow the sugar to dissolve back into the custard. This step is optional, as some prefer to caramelize the sugar immediately before serving.
  4. Finished.

Tips

  • Pull it from the oven a few minutes before it is actually done as it will continue cooking out of the oven.
  • If you don't have a blow torch or anything like it handy, an alternative is to caramelize the sugar in a pot and then pour it over the custard, making a thicker layer than usual.
  • Overcooked crème brûlée turns into sweet scrambled eggs so be sure not to overcook it.
  • Another way to caramelize the sugar on top is to place the ramekins under a very hot and well-warmed-up broiler. The closer you can get the ramekins to the broiler, the quicker the top will crisp up and the cooler the custard will be after the top is crispy.
  • You can also put slices of ginger and lemon verbena into the cream when scalding it in order to give the crème brulee a slight twist.
  • Raw or "Turbinado" sugar is best for the top.
  • You can add some cream to the top before serving, but this is optional.

Warnings

  • It is not advisable to let a child use a blow torch. If they do, always supervise them.
  • Always be careful when using a stove or an oven.
  • There is a technique to making good crème brulée. You should practice making it a few times in the same oven before making it for a special event.
  • The water bath is dangerously hot. Use caution when pouring or removing the desserts.

Things You'll Need

  • Chopping board
  • Saucepan
  • Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Sieve
  • Jug
  • 6 ramekins
  • Roasting tin
  • Blow torch or kitchen butane torch
  • Spatula
  • Knife
  • Spoon

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Sources and Citations

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