Crème brûlée, a classic French dessert, is a creamy custard topped with a caramelized sugar crust. It is a delightful treat that combines a smooth, rich custard with a crispy, sweet topping. Whether you are a seasoned baker or just starting out, creating the perfect crème brûlée can seem like a daunting task. However, with the right recipe, some patience, and a few simple techniques, you can easily master this iconic dessert. In this article, we will guide you through the process of making the perfect crème brûlée, providing step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure a successful and delicious outcome.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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
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).
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
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
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.
CRèME BRûLéE
Julia Child believed that every woman should own a blowtorch. If you've lucky enough to have one, it will come in handy for this easy crème brulee recipe. And, if not, the broiler is a great stand-in for a handy-dandy blowtorch.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 7h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F. In 13x9-inch pan, place 4 (6-oz) ceramic ramekins. In small bowl, slightly beat egg yolks with wire whisk. In large bowl, stir whipping cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla until well mixed. Add egg yolks; beat with wire whisk until evenly colored and well blended. Pour cream mixture evenly into ramekins.
- Carefully place pan with ramekins in oven. Pour enough boiling water into pan, being careful not to splash water into ramekins, until water covers two-thirds of the height of the ramekins.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until top is light golden brown and sides are set (centers will be jiggly).
- Using tongs or grasping tops of ramekins with pot holder, carefully transfer ramekins to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
- Uncover ramekins; gently blot any liquid from tops of custards with paper towel. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons granulated sugar over each chilled custard. Holding kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from custard, caramelize sugar on each custard by heating with torch about 2 minutes, moving flame continuously over sugar in circular motion, until sugar is melted and light golden brown. (To caramelize sugar in the broiler, see Broiler Directions below.) Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 540, Carbohydrate 30 g, Cholesterol 440 mg, Fat 7, Fiber 0 g, Protein 7 g, SaturatedFat 25 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 55 mg, Sugar 29 g, TransFat 1 g
CREME BRULEE
Make Alton Brown's foolproof Creme Brulee recipe, a French classic with vanilla bean and caramelized sugar, from Good Eats on Food Network.
Provided by Alton Brown
Categories dessert
Time 3h30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
PERFECT CREME BRULEE
I am not much of a dessert fan, but the one I can never resist is creme brulee. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to this dessert, because although it really is simple in both design and execution, restaurants have a curious flair for messing it up, either by making it too sweet, too bland, or scorching the sugar crust. The worst offense is pre-caramelizing the crust, then refrigerating the brulee until later. Horrible. Follow this recipe exactly and you won't go wrong.
Provided by Chadley25
Categories Dessert
Time 4h25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat cream and 2 tbls sugar until just hot (small bubbles will form around the edge and a bit of steam will be released when cream is stirred).
- While cream is heating, separate two eggs, reserving the whites for another use (or discarding). Put the yolks in a bowl.
- Whisk in vanilla bean paste. This paste, made by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and available in many upscale culinary shops and some spice shops, is a godsend and no cook who uses vanilla should be without it. If you don't have this paste, split one plump, long vanilla bean and scrape out the bean seeds inside. If you're particularly fond of vanilla, you may also add a scant amount of pure vanilla extract, but no more than 1/2 teaspoon.
- Add hot cream to egg yolk mixture and whisk thoroughly.
- Pour evenly into four creme brulee dishes.
- Place the creme brulee dishes in a suitably sized pan and add enough hot water (the hotter, the better) to reach about halfway up the sides of the dishes.
- Cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil (do not seal, just place on the dishes).
- Bake for 25-27 minutes or until custard is just set.
- Let cool on countertop for about 10 minutes or so, then chill creme brulees in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Wrapping tightly with plastic is not recommended because water will condense on underside of wrap and drip on the custard when removed.
- Immediately prior to serving, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar (about 1/16th inch deep) evenly over the custard. If any water puddles are present on the surface of the custard, absorb them carefully with a paper towel before sprinkling with sugar.
- Using (preferably) a creme brulee kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar using continuous movements with the flame. The sugar must not be scorched, which is easy to do if you let the flame linger in one location. Use as hot and large a flame as practicable so you can caramelize the sugar in short order and not "melt" the custard underneath.
- If you don't have a torch, a broiler can melt and caramelize the sugar, but this is not at all the preferred method. Careful attention should be paid while broiling and the dishes should be very close to the heat source.
- Once the sugar is caramelized, let cool briefly and serve. The crust should be glasslike and hard. Do not garnish with berries or chocolate kisses or mint leaves or whipped cream or any such nonsense. In my opinion, doing so detracts from the elegant simplicity of this classic dessert.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 321.5, Fat 24.3, SaturatedFat 14.5, Cholesterol 186.4, Sodium 26.7, Carbohydrate 24.9, Sugar 23, Protein 2.6
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the final flavor of your crème brûlée.
- Make sure your ingredients are cold before you start cooking. This will help to prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Cook the crème brûlée slowly and gently. Do not boil it, or the eggs will curdle.
- Strain the crème brûlée before pouring it into the ramekins. This will remove any lumps or bits of egg white.
- Bake the crème brûlée in a water bath. This will help to create a smooth, even custard.
- Chill the crème brûlée for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow it to set properly.
- When you are ready to serve the crème brûlée, sprinkle the tops with sugar and caramelize it with a kitchen torch.
Conclusion:
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert that is sure to impress your guests. It is a relatively easy dessert to make, but it does require some patience. By following these tips, you can make a perfect crème brûlée that will be the star of your next dinner party.
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