Description
A classic French dessert with a rich custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk (preferably 2% or whole)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 8 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for caramelizing
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and milk until just barely simmering and immediately remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined.
- Slowly ladle the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly and quickly.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place an oven rack in the middle position. Heat about 4 quarts water until steaming.
- Place ramekins in a baking pan with at least 2-inch sides. If you want to minimize the ramekins from sliding around, you can place a thin towel in the bottom of the pan under the ramekins.
- Ladle the cream mixture into 6 ramekins (about 7- to 8-ounce).
- Place the pan of filled ramekins on the oven rack and carefully pour the hot water into the pan around the ramekins until the water comes up halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake the crème brûlée for 40 to 45 minutes for deep ramekins and 30 to 35 minutes for shallow ramekins.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven so water doesn’t splash into the baked crème brûlée.
- Using a large, flat spatula, immediately remove the ramekins from the hot water and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, cover the ramekins and refrigerate until fully chilled, 6 hours or up to 3 days.
- About 30 minutes before serving, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator, blot the tops dry with a paper towel, if needed. Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top of each crème brûlée.
- Using a kitchen torch on medium heat, run the torch slowly across the sugar until it melts and forms a caramelized, golden top.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate uncovered until ready to serve.
Notes
- For using a whole vanilla bean instead of paste, split the bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the cream mixture.
- Monitor the baking closely to ensure the custard doesn’t overcook.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 200mg