Crème Brûlée

Classic Crème Brûlée

A timeless French baked custard crowned with a brittle caramel shell. The contrast between the cool, vanilla-scented cream and the hot, glassy sugar top is the whole point of the dessert, so plan to torch just before serving.

Prep

20 min

Cook

45 min

Total

65 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 ml (2½ cups) heavy/double cream (35% fat), do not substitute single cream or milk; the fat is essential to the texture
• •1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped; or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract stirred in off the heat
• •6 large egg yolks, around 110 g; reserve whites for another use
• •80 g (⅓ cup) caster/ superfine sugar (for the custard)
• •120 g (½ cup + 2 tsp) caster or superfine sugar (for the caramel top), fine sugar torches more evenly than granulated
• •1 litre (1 quart) hot water (for the bain-marie)

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F). Arrange 6 shallow ramekins (about 150 ml / 5 oz each) in a deep roasting tin or ovenproof pan.
2. 2 Pour the cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife, and add both seeds and pod to the cream. Heat over medium until the cream just barely simmers around the edges, then remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes so the vanilla infuses. If using extract, skip the steep and add it later.
3. 3 In a bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks with 80 g sugar just until smooth and slightly paler. Do not beat in air; you want a dense custard, not a foam.
4. 4 Temper the hot cream into the yolks slowly, a ladle at a time, whisking constantly, then whisk in all the remaining cream. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large jug (this catches any stray chalazae and vanilla pod bits, and gives a perfectly silky set). If using extract, stir it in now.
5. 5 Place the ramekins in the roasting tin. Pour the custard into each ramekin, dividing evenly. Slide the tin into the oven, then carefully pour the hot water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
6. 6 Bake 40–45 minutes. The custards are done when the edges are set but the centres still wobble like firm jelly when gently shaken (internal temperature should read 72–75°C / 162–167°F in the centre). Do not overbake; they will finish setting as they cool.
7. 7 Lift the ramekins out of the water bath and cool to room temperature on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled and firm.
8. 8 Just before serving: blot the surface of each custard gently with a paper towel to remove any condensation (a wet surface will not caramelise properly). Sprinkle 2 tsp of the topping sugar evenly over each ramekin and tilt to cover the entire surface; tap out the excess.
9. 9 Caramelise with a kitchen blowtorch held 5–8 cm / 2–3 in above the sugar, sweeping the flame continuously in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber. Stop while still pourable; it will harden within seconds. No torch? Slide the ramekins under a preheated grill/broiler on the top rack, watching constantly, 3–5 minutes.
10. 10 Let the caramel set for 1–2 minutes (it should be hard and glassy, not tacky), then serve immediately in the ramekin so each spoonful catches both the crackling top and the cool custard beneath.