Do you crave the perfect crème brûlée, with its creamy, vanilla custard center and its caramelized sugar topping that cracks satisfyingly when you spoon into it? With so many variations on this French dessert classic, finding the perfect recipe can be a daunting task. This guide offers you a comprehensive look at the different elements of crème brûlée, from the custard base to the caramelized sugar topping, so you can create the perfect crème brûlée experience in your own home.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
CREME BRULEE
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.
- Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
- To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.
PERFECT CREME BRULEE
I have made creme brulee many times, and have been perfecting it over time.
Provided by Bobo
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European French
Time 3h5m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Move a rack to the bottom of the oven.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together in a stainless steel bowl until smooth. Bring the cream just to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat; pour into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continually until combined.
- Bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in an oven-safe saucepan over medium low heat; set the bowl with the cream mixture over the saucepan to form a double boiler.
- Place the entire double boiler into the preheated oven; bake until the mixture sets, about 30 minutes.
- Chill in refrigerator 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
- Combine the brown sugar with 2 tablespoons of white sugar in a bowl; sprinkle evenly over the cold creme.
- Heat under the preheated broiler until the sugar melts and browns, 2 to 3 minutes; return immediately to the refrigerator and chill until the sugar is set, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 333.3 calories, Carbohydrate 24.3 g, Cholesterol 235.1 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Protein 3.2 g, SaturatedFat 14.9 g, Sodium 29.6 mg, Sugar 22.3 g
FAVORITE CREME BRULEE
The allure of creme brulee, French for "burnt cream," is in the textural contrast between the brittle caramelized topping and the smooth, creamy custard beneath.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Yield Makes 6
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, combine cream, vanilla bean and seeds, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar; place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan. Do not boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl; while whisking constantly, slowly add hot cream mixture to egg yolks. Continue whisking until smooth. Strain custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large liquid measuring cup; discard solids.
- Place six shallow 7-ounce ramekins in a roasting pan; transfer roasting pan to oven. Fill each ramekin to the top with custard mixture. Add enough hot water to baking pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until custard is set and trembles slightly when shaken, about 40 minutes.
- Remove ramekins from water bath and transfer to a wire rack; let cool for 30 minutes. Transfer ramekins to refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- To serve, sprinkle each ramekin of custard with 1 tablespoon remaining granulated sugar. Using a kitchen torch held 4 to 5 inches from the surface, melt sugar using a slow and even motion, until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately.
CLASSIC CRèME BRûLéE
We prefer turbinado sugar, a slightly refined sugar, for the topping, because it melts easily and forms a crisp, easily shattered cover.
Provided by Gourmet Test Kitchen
Categories Epi Hall of Fame Dessert Milk/Cream Custard Vanilla Valentine's Day New Year's Eve Egg
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Using tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean, if using, into cream and add pod (if using vanilla extract, do not add it yet). Heat cream over moderate heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat and discard pod.
- Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and whisk in vanilla extract, if using. Ladle custard into ramekins.
- Arrange ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, 25 to 30 minutes. With tongs, transfer custards to a rack to cool, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours.
- Just before serving, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over custards. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth close to sugar until sugar is caramelized. Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Variation:
- Coffee Crème Brûlée: Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.
VANILLA CRèME BRûLéE
Five simple ingredients - cream, vanilla, salt, eggs and sugar - make for an exquisitely rich and elegant dessert. Most crème brûlée recipes require the use of a small propane torch to achieve the crackly sugar top, but this version offers a simpler (and safer) solution: your oven's broiler. One thing to note: Be sure to let the custard set for several hours in the refrigerator before brûléeing the top, otherwise you'll end up with soupy custard.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories custards and puddings, dessert
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt and cook over low heat just until hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then discard vanilla bean. (If using vanilla extract, add it now.)
- In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the cream into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir. Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish; fill dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until centers are barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple of days.
- When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within two hours.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 407, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 41 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 25 grams, Sodium 121 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams
CLASSIC CREME BRULEE
My favorite dessert is this creme brulee recipe. Recently I was at a party where the guests finished off their own desserts "broiling" the sugar on their portions with a small torch. What a great idea! -Joylyn Trickel, Helendale, California
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, combine the cream, egg yolks and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Stir in vanilla. , Transfer to eight 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Place cups in a baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove ramekins from water bath; cool for 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours., One hour before serving, place custards on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar. Broil 8 in. from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 551 calories, Fat 50g fat (29g saturated fat), Cholesterol 402mg cholesterol, Sodium 53mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (22g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 6g protein.
ULTIMATE CRèME BRûLéE
With a rich, creamy vanilla custard and crunchy, caramelised topping, our crème brûlée makes the ultimate indulgent dessert. Follow our professional tips for mastering this classic French sweet
Provided by Angela Nilsen
Categories Dessert, Dinner
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sit four 175ml ramekins in a deep roasting tin at least 7.5cm deep (or a large deep cake tin), one that will enable a baking tray to sit well above the ramekins when laid across the top of the tin.
- Pour the large and small cartons of double cream into a medium pan with the milk.
- Lay the vanilla pod on a board and slice lengthways through the middle with a sharp knife to split it in two. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla pod in as well, and set aside.
- Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for 1 min with an electric hand whisk until paler in colour and a bit fluffy.
- Put the pan with the cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear round the edge, take the pan off the heat.
- Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a wire whisk as you do so, and scraping out the seeds from the pan.
- Set a fine sieve over a large wide jug or bowl and pour the hot mixture through to strain it, encouraging any stray vanilla seeds through at the end.
- Using a big spoon, scoop off all the pale foam that is sitting on the top of the liquid (this will be several spoonfuls) and discard. Give the mixture a stir.
- Pour in enough hot water (from the tap) into the roasting tin to come about 1.5cm up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins so you fill them up right to the top - it's easier to spoon in the last little bit.
- Put them in the oven and lay a baking sheet over the top of the tin so it sits well above the ramekins and completely covers them, but not the whole tin, leaving a small gap at one side to allow air to circulate.
- Bake for 30-35 mins until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the roasting tin and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle. Don't let them get too firm.
- Lift the ramekins out of the roasting tin with oven gloves and set them on a wire rack to cool for a couple of minutes only, then put in the fridge to cool completely. This can be done overnight without affecting the texture.
- When ready to serve, wipe round the top edge of the dishes, sprinkle 1½ tsp of caster sugar over each ramekin and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover.
- Spray with a little water using a fine spray (the sort you buy in a craft shop) to just dampen the sugar - then use a blow torch to caramelise it. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep moving it round and round until caramelised. Serve when the brûlée is firm, or within an hour or two.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 620 calories, Fat 59 grams fat, SaturatedFat 34 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 17 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 13 grams sugar, Protein 6 grams protein, Sodium 0.01 milligram of sodium
THE BEST CREME BRULEE
We wanted a rich and creamy custard that wasn't too sweet, so we could fully enjoy the signature crunchy layer of caramelized sugar on top. By only using egg yolks, we achieved a soft and creamy texture. We tried using milk and half-and-half but, in the end, we landed with heavy cream for its richness. Whole vanilla beans give a more intense, pure vanilla flavor that you can't get from extract. We also like seeing the vanilla seeds flecked throughout the custard.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Line a large heavy roasting pan (a turkey roasting pan works great) with a clean kitchen towel and place 4 six-ounce ramekins on top of the towel spaced a few inches apart.
- Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Using the back of a paring knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from both halves of the pod. Add the seeds and pod to the cream. Whisk in the salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
- Vigorously whisk the yolks and 3 more tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer on high speed and beat until pale yellow and very thick and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Whisking the yolks constantly, add a couple of teaspoons at a time from 1 cup of the hot cream, then increase to a steady stream until the cream is fully incorporated. (Don't pour too much hot cream at once or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.) The yolks are now tempered. Whisk the tempered yolks back into the remaining hot cream until combined. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or medium pitcher for easier pouring; discard the vanilla pods.
- Skim the foam off the top of the custard by placing a clean paper towel on top and lightly pressing down so it touches the surface and absorbs some of the liquid. This will make for a completely smooth and silky custard. Fill the ramekins with the custard, about 3/4 cup per ramekin.
- Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins without getting any water in the custard. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the custard is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center, 35 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate until very cold, about 3 hours.
- Just before serving, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the top of a custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above the surface. Starting in the center of the ramekin, move the flame in a circular motion and work your way out to the edges to caramelize the sugar. Repeat with the remaining sugar and custards.
- Alternatively, arrange a rack in the top position of the oven and heat the broiler on high. Place the ramekins on a rack set inside a baking sheet and broil until deep golden brown, 15 to 60 seconds, checking every 10 seconds.
- Freeze the custards for 5 minutes before serving (see Cook's Note).
CREME BRULEE
This is a very nice dessert to serve when entertaining. Delicious served over mangos sprinkled with rum, or strawberries with Grand Marnier® or Cointreau®.
Provided by COOKALOT
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European French
Time 2h40m
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons white sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.
- Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.
- Pour cream mixture into the top pan of a double boiler. Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat immediately and pour into a shallow heat-proof dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 561.4 calories, Carbohydrate 24 g, Cholesterol 416.7 mg, Fat 50.1 g, Protein 5.8 g, SaturatedFat 29.3 g, Sodium 55.3 mg, Sugar 20.4 g
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the final flavor of your crème brûlée.
- Make sure your custard is cooked slowly and gently. Overcooking will cause it to curdle and become grainy.
- Let the custard cool completely before refrigerating. This will help it to set properly.
- When torching the sugar, be careful not to overheat it. Otherwise, it will burn and taste bitter.
- Serve the crème brûlée immediately after torching. This is when it is at its best flavor and texture.
Conclusion:
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert that is both elegant and delicious. With its rich, creamy custard and caramelized sugar topping, it is sure to impress your guests. So next time you are looking for a special dessert to make, give crème brûlée a try. You won't be disappointed!
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