Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Vanilla crème brûlée is a very classic French dessert with very few ingredients. Crème anglaise (a thin custard) is the base of the dish. It is baked in a water bath so that gentle heat keeps it very silky and creamy. Sugar is then torched on top of the custard to create a crackly top.
OVERVIEW
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Component Used: Crème Anglaise
If you’ve ever ordered crème brûlée at a nice restaurant then you know how luxurious it is! It’s creamy, silky smooth, and extra decadent. Whole vanilla bean is used to flavor this classic French dessert.
My recipe for vanilla crème brûlée only requires 5 simple ingredients. The recipe starts by making a thin custard that is baked in a water bath. The gentle heat keeps it very silky and creamy. Sugar is then torched on top of the custard to create a crackly top. Grab a spoon, crack the top, and dive in!
What is crème anglaise?
Crème anglaise is a foundational French baking component taught in pastry school. It’s a simple mixture of cream (or milk), egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla that’s been cooked just enough to coat the back of a spoon.
It’s a thin custard that can be used as a sauce over desserts, churned into ice cream, or baked into crème brûlée. It can also be flavored in many different ways!
Flavor Variations
Lemon Crème Brûlée: After straining the custard through the sieve, whisk in the lemon zest from 2 fresh lemons.
Espresso Crème Brûlée: Add ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder to the saucepan with the cream.
Matcha Crème Brûlée: Add 1 tablespoon sifted matcha powder to the saucepan with the cream.
How to make vanilla crème brûlée
There are only a few steps to make vanilla crème brûlée:
- Make the custard
- Pour into ramekins
- Bake and chill
- Brûlée
Here we go!
Make the custard
In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt and cook over low heat just until hot. It can start to simmer but do not let it boil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale yellow and increased in volume.
Temper the hot cream into the egg mixture by adding about a quarter of it and whisk. Slowly pour the rest of the hot cream into the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Pour the hot cream very slowly or you will scramble the eggs.
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the vanilla bean pod (if using). Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir the custard to remove as many air bubbles as possible.
Pour the custard into the ramekins sitting in a baking dish with tall sides. I suggest transferring the custard to a glass pitcher to make it easier to pour. If using ramekins with a lip at the top, stop filling them right around that lip.
Boil a pot of water and carefully stream the hot water into the baking dish going halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
You do not want to bake the custards with visible tiny bubbles otherwise they will bake like that and won’t be a smooth custard. To remove, either use your mini kitchen torch to quickly torch the tops to pop the bubbles or use a spoon to scrape them off.
Bake & Chill
Place the baking dish carefully into the preheated oven on 325°F (162°C) and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the centers are barely set and have only a slight jiggle.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and place on a wire rack. Cool completely. This will take at least an hour. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
Brûlée
Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. If there are any moisture droplets on top of the custard, blot them off with a paper towel. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of the custard completely covering it.
Holding the mini kitchen torch above the ramekin and at a slight angle, torch the sugar until caramelized. It should be a deep brown color.
Serve with a garnish of fresh berries and mint. Enjoy within 2 hours.
Make-Ahead vanilla crème brûlée
Make the custard as instructed and refrigerate covered in plastic wrap for up to 2 days. This is a great way to prepare the dessert in advance. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator, add sugar, and torch. Serve within 2 hours.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you loved this romantic recipe, you might like to try another dessert that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert with few ingredients. It is a thin custard that's baked in a water bath so that gentle heat keeps it silky and creamy. Sugar is then torched on top of the custard to create a crackly top.
Ingredients
- 470 grams (2 cups, 480 milliliters) heavy cream, or light cream or half-and-half
- 1 whole vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162°C)
- Split the vanilla bean (1 whole), if using, in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream (470 grams/ 2 cups), scraped vanilla bean seeds, vanilla bean pod, and salt (⅛ teaspoon) and cook over low heat just until hot. If not using whole vanilla, simply add the vanilla extract or paste (1 teaspoon) to the saucepan.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks (5 large) and granulated sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup) together until pale yellow in color and increased in volume.
- Add about a quarter of the hot cream into the egg mixture and whisk. Slowly pour the rest of the hot cream into the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Pour the hot cream very slowly or you will scramble the eggs.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the vanilla bean pod (if using). Using a rubber spatula, stir the custard slowly to remove as many air bubbles as possible.
- Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place ramekins into the bottom of a baking dish with tall sides. Remove any remaining bubbles on top of the custard by running your small kitchen torch quickly over the tops to pop the bubbles or use a spoon to scrape the bubbles off the top.
- Boil a pot of water and fill the baking dish until you get about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Pour slowly not to splash water into the ramekins.
- Place the baking dish carefully into the preheated oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the centers are barely set and have only a slight jiggle.
- Remove the ramekins from the water bath and place on a wire rack. Cool completely. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
- When ready to serve, top each custard with about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar in a thin layer. Use your small kitchen torch to brûlée the top. Serve within two hours.
Notes
*If you do not have a kitchen torch, place ramekins in a broiler about 2 to 3 inches away from the heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns (or even blackens a bit), about 5 minutes. Do not walk away from it, it can burn quickly.
*If you have smaller ramekins like this set of six 4-ounce ramekins, use all six and reduce the bake time to about 30-35 minutes.
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