Any dessert fan will know what a crème brulee is. It’s a puddling-like, baked custard dessert with a layer of melted brittle sugar. Try out this crème brulee recipe for your next get-together! Crème brulee is a dessert suitable for any occasion and enjoyed by everybody. Your crème brulee will steal the show as its creamy texture, and sweet sugar crunch are sure to satisfy everyone’s palette.
Preheat the oven to 162°C and place 6 ramekins in the 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
Next, prepare the vanilla bean by cutting it in half and scraping out the seeds with the dull side of the knife.
Pour the heavy cream, 50g of sugar, vanilla bean pod, vanilla bean seeds, and salt into a medium saucepan and cook it over medium heat until it simmers.
Remove the pan and cover it once the cream starts to simmer. Let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla bean to infuse. Skip this step if you’re using the 5ml of vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean.
In the meantime, separate your eggs and place the yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Save the egg whites for another dish.
Whisk the remaining 75g of sugar into the yolks.
While whisking the yolks, gradually pour one ladle of hot cream in a thin stream. Repeat this step 2 to 3 times.
Add the 2.5ml of vanilla extract and strain the mixture through a sieve into another mixing bowl. Remove the vanilla bean pod and let it cool.
Pour equal amounts of the mixture between the 6 ramekins. It should fill up 3/4 of each ramekin.
Boil a kettle of water and fill half the baking dish with hot water. Be careful not to splash hot water into the custards.
Bake the custards for 38 to 40 minutes. The crème brulee should jiggle in the middle, and the centre should bounce back when you touch it lightly. If the centre is sloshy, your dessert is not ready yet. If it has a jelly-like texture, then it’s overbaked.
Remove the baking dish with the custards and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let it cool until the ramekins are safe to pick up with bare hands.
Remove the custards from the baking dish and set aside for another 15 minutes
Skim off any bubbles on the top with a spoon, then cover each ramekin with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. You can do so for up to 4 days before serving.
Caramalise the custards before serving. Sprinkle 4g of sugar evenly on each custard. For an even layer, rotate the custard as you sprinkle.
Ignite the blow torch and hold the flame 10cm away from the sugar’s surface. Move the flame across the surface in a circular motion. The sugar will melt and solidify into a sugar crust. All the sugar granules should be melted, and the sugar crust should be a caramel colour.
Caramalise all the custards. Repeat steps 15 and 16.
Let them cool for 2 minutes before serving. They are best eaten within 20 minutes.
Tips for a Perfect Crème Brulee
When making crème brulee, always drizzle the hot cream slowly into the egg mixture while whisking. You want to gradually bring up the egg mixture’s temperature to prevent it from curdling. And when you brulee the top, remember to sprinkle the right amount of sugar evenly. Too much and the crust will burn before it evenly melts. Too little and it will melt and seep into the custard. Lastly, to make a smooth surface for your crème brulee, skim the foam after you whisk the cream and eggs together.
Missing some ingredients?
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