Creme Brulee
Creme brulee is a classic French dessert of rich vanilla custard topped with a thin layer of crisp caramelised sugar. Cracking the top with a spoon is half the fun. With just a few ingredients, it is an elegant dessert that looks impressive and can be made well in advance.
Why You Will Love This Creme Brulee
- Silky vanilla custard under a crackling caramel crust
- Only a handful of ingredients
- Made ahead, so it is stress-free for entertaining
Ingredient Notes
Egg yolks: Give the custard its richness and silky set. Double cream: Use full-fat cream for the best texture. Vanilla: A real vanilla pod or good-quality paste gives the best flavour. Sugar: Caster sugar in the custard and for the caramel topping.
Tips for a Perfect Brulee
Cook gently in a water bath so the custard stays silky. Bake until the edges are set but the centre still has a slight wobble. Dry the surface of the custard before adding sugar for an even crust, and caramelise with a kitchen torch or a very hot grill.
Serving and Storage
Chill the custards for at least four hours, then caramelise just before serving. The baked custards keep for up to three days in the refrigerator, but the sugar topping should only be added at the last moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why bake creme brulee in a water bath?
The water bath (bain-marie) cooks the custard gently and evenly, preventing it from curdling or cracking and giving a silky smooth texture.
How do I know when the custard is done?
The edges should be set but the centre should still wobble slightly when shaken. It will firm up fully as it chills.
Can I caramelise the top without a torch?
Yes. Place the ramekins very close under a very hot grill, watching closely. A kitchen torch gives more even and controlled results.
Why does my sugar topping not crackle?
The custard may be too warm or the sugar layer too thick or damp. Chill the custards fully and sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake and chill up to three days ahead. Caramelise the sugar just before serving so the topping stays crisp.
Can I flavour the custard?
Yes. Infuse the cream with coffee, orange zest, lavender or a splash of liqueur before mixing with the yolks.
More Recipes You Will Love
- Classic Tiramisu: coffee-soaked, no-bake Italian dessert
- New York Cheesecake: rich, creamy classic with a biscuit crust
- Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse: silky, dairy-free chocolate dessert
- Fudgy Chocolate Brownies: dense, fudgy chocolate squares
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean (split)
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Boiling water (for water bath)
- 4 tablespoons sugar (for caramelising)
- 1 Preheat the Oven and Prepare the TinPreheat the oven to 150 C and set a rack in the middle. Put 4 ramekins, each about 175 ml (6 oz), in a deep roasting tin with a folded tea towel underneath. Boil a kettle of water and keep it nearby.Tip: The tea towel stops the ramekins from sliding around in the tin. Having the water ready means you can set up the water bath quickly once the custards are filled.
- 2 Split the Vanilla BeanLay the vanilla bean on a board and split it lengthways with the tip of a small knife. Scrape out the tiny black seeds with the back of the knife and keep both the seeds and the empty pod.Tip: The pod still carries a lot of flavour, so do not throw it away. If you have no vanilla bean, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla paste, added when the cream is warm.
- 3 Heat the Cream with the VanillaPour the 2 cups of heavy cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla seeds and pod. Heat over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is steaming and tiny bubbles form around the edge. Do not let it boil.Tip: Boiling can make the cream catch on the bottom and can change its flavour. Keep the heat gentle and stir once or twice.
- 4 Steep for 15 MinutesTake the pan off the heat, cover it with a lid and leave the vanilla to steep in the cream for 15 minutes.Tip: Steeping lets the vanilla flavour infuse the cream deeply. For a stronger vanilla flavour, steep for up to 30 minutes.
- 5 Whisk the Yolks and SugarIn a large bowl, whisk the 5 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is pale and slightly thick and the sugar has started to dissolve.Tip: Whisk only until combined. Whisking in too much air creates bubbles that spoil the smooth top of the finished custard.
- 6 Temper the Yolks with the Warm CreamLift out the vanilla pod and warm the cream again for a minute until steaming. Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Then slowly pour in the rest, still whisking, until smooth.Tip: Adding the hot cream slowly, a little at a time, is called tempering. If you pour it in too fast, the heat will cook the yolks and give you scrambled egg.
- 7 Strain the CustardPour the custard through a fine sieve into a jug. Skim off any foam or bubbles from the top with a spoon.Tip: Straining removes any small bits of cooked egg and the vanilla pod fragments, and gives a perfectly silky custard. Skimming the bubbles means the finished tops are smooth.
- 8 Fill the RamekinsPour the custard evenly into the 4 ramekins, filling each to about 1 cm below the rim.Tip: Pouring from a jug is neater and easier than using a ladle, and lets you check each ramekin has about the same amount.
- 9 Set Up the Water BathPlace the tin on the oven rack, then carefully pour the boiling water from the kettle into the tin until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.Tip: Pour the water around the ramekins, not into the custard. Setting the tin on the oven rack first means you do not have to carry it full of hot water.
- 10 Bake Until Set with a Slight WobbleBake at 150 C for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the centre still has a slight wobble when you gently shake a ramekin.Tip: The custards continue to set as they cool, so take them out while they are still a little wobbly. Overbaking makes the texture grainy. Start checking at 35 minutes.
- 11 Remove and CoolCarefully lift the ramekins out of the water bath with tongs and place them on a wire rack. Leave to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.Tip: Take great care, as both the water and the ramekins are very hot. Cooling them first prevents condensation forming under the cling film.
- 12 Chill for at Least 4 HoursCover each ramekin with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until completely cold and firm.Tip: Chilling sets the custard fully, which also helps the sugar crust form. The custards keep for up to 2 days in the fridge, so you can make them ahead.
- 13 Dry the Surface and Add the SugarJust before serving, blot the surface of each custard with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each (4 tablespoons in total) and tilt the ramekin so the sugar covers the surface in a thin, even layer.Tip: A dry surface and a thin, even layer of sugar give the best crust. A thick layer of sugar can burn on top while staying raw underneath.
- 14 Caramelise with a TorchHold a kitchen torch about 5 to 8 cm from the sugar and move it slowly in circles until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber, about 1 minute per custard. No torch? Place the ramekins very close under a very hot grill and watch them closely.Tip: Stop when the sugar is deep amber rather than black, as burnt sugar is bitter. A torch gives more even results than a grill.
- 15 Rest and ServeLeave the creme brulee to stand for 2 minutes so that the caramel hardens into a glassy shell, then serve straight away and crack the top with a spoon.Tip: Serve within an hour of caramelising, as the sugar crust slowly softens as it absorbs moisture from the custard.