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The Ultimate Crème Brûlée Recipe: Perfectly Creamy Custard with a Caramelized Sugar Top

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Indulgent French crème brûlée with silky vanilla custard and a perfectly caramelized sugar crust. This classic restaurant dessert is surprisingly easy to make at home and guaranteed to impress!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean pod (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided (⅓ cup for custard, remaining for topping)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tablespoons superfine sugar (for caramelizing the top)
  • Boiling water (for water bath)

Instructions

  • Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Place six 6-ounce ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Place a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of the pan to keep ramekins stable.
  • Infuse the Cream: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan and add both the vanilla seeds and the scraped pod. Heat over medium heat until the cream just begins to simmer around the edges (small bubbles will form). Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor. Remove the vanilla pod.
  • Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until well combined and slightly pale, about 2 minutes. Don’t overwhisk or create too many bubbles.
  • Temper the Eggs: This step is crucial! Slowly pour about ½ cup of the warm cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them. Continue adding the cream slowly, whisking constantly, until all the cream is incorporated.
  • Strain the Custard: Pour the entire mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout. This removes any cooked egg bits and ensures silky-smooth custard. Discard any solids in the strainer.
  • Fill the Ramekins: Divide the custard evenly among the six ramekins, filling each about ¾ full. Use a spoon to remove any bubbles from the surface.
  • Create Water Bath: Carefully place the baking dish with ramekins in the preheated oven. Pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash water into the custards.
  • Bake: Bake for 38-42 minutes, until the custards are set around the edges but still have a slight jiggle in the center (about the size of a quarter). The centers should register 170-175°F on an instant-read thermometer. Don’t overbake or the custards will be grainy.
  • Cool: Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath using tongs or a spatula. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
  • Chill: Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. The custards must be completely cold before caramelizing the top.
  • Caramelize: Just before serving, remove custards from refrigerator and blot any moisture from the surface with a paper towel. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of superfine sugar evenly over each custard. Using a kitchen torch held 3-4 inches away, move the flame constantly in a circular motion until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns deep golden amber. Let the sugar harden for 1-2 minutes before serving.
  • Serve: Serve immediately while the caramelized top is crisp and the custard is cold. Garnish with fresh berries if desired.

Notes

  • The custards are done when they jiggle slightly in the center but are set around the edges. They’ll continue cooking from residual heat after removal from the oven.
  • If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can use the oven broiler, but it’s much harder to control and may warm the custard too much. Place ramekins on a baking sheet 4 inches from the broiler and watch constantly.
  • For the smoothest texture, let the cream mixture steep with vanilla for the full 15 minutes.
  • Room temperature egg yolks temper more easily and reduce the risk of scrambling.
  • Superfine sugar caramelizes more evenly than regular granulated sugar.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://focialy.com/creme-brulee-recipe/