Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée

Chef Jeremy
Cook time: 60 mins
Servings: 2-3
Difficulty: Beginner

This is one of the most delightful and classic desserts in France – Crème Brûlée. It's a foundational masterpiece in the world of pastry skills. Create a creamy, velvety custard that's both indulgent and comforting. But here's the exciting part: crown it with a crisp, caramelized sugar crust that shatters with every spoonful. It's a dessert that combines the silky smooth with the satisfying crunch.

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What you'll learn

  • Learn how to make a smooth and creamy custard base, which is a fundamental skill in many desserts.
  • Gain experience in caramelization, a technique used to create the signature crunchy sugar topping.
  • Understand precision and timing in both the custard preparation and the torching of the sugar. Pay attention to details, such as avoiding overcooking the custard and ensuring the sugar caramelizes evenly without burning.

Mise En Place

Whisk
Knife
Strainer
Chopping Board
Fine Mesh Strainer
Sauce Pot
Bowl
Whisk
Knife
Strainer
Chopping Board
Fine Mesh Strainer
Sauce Pot
Bowl

Shopping List

Cream, 440g (2 cups)

Vanilla bean, 1/2

Egg yolks, 6x

Sugar, 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup

Prep

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
  2. Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean pod.

How to cook

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer.
  2. Place the pod and seeds in the cream.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar.
  4. Once the cream has come up to a boil, slowly stream it into the egg and sugar mixture by adding a little bit at a time until all the cream mixture is incorporated.
  5. Strain out the vanilla bean and any eggy bits.
  6. Place your ramekins in a shallow baking dish and fill each ramekin evenly with the crème brûlée mixture.
  7. Place in the oven and fill the dish with warm water until the water level matches the crème brûlée level in your ramekins.
  8. Bake until the crème brûlées have the slightest jiggle but no loose liquid (180°F is the final cook point), about 17–25 minutes depending on the size of your ramekins.
  9. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.
  10. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and use a blowtorch to make a beautiful crust. Add the sugar twice to really get a nice thick layer. Alternatively, you can broil for 1–2 minutes.
  11. Serve with sliced poached pears and garnish with caramel sauce (optional).