Love vanilla custard? Love crunchy caramel? Come and try my best Creme Brulee recipe…
So what is Creme?
Creme Brulee, a french classic, goes by a few names, burnt cream, and trinity cream but it all means the same thing. Gorgeous smooth vanilla egg custard (no powdered stuff here!) which is then topped with sugar that is caramelized and left to harden. This is the beauty of Creme Brulee, you have to crack through the hardened caramel to get to the soft creamy filling underneath. It is luxurious and impressive – it’s so easy to make and will make you feel like a real pro once you master it. You can do this!
Ingredients
Four easy ingredients are all it takes to whip up this dessert:
- Eggs – these are for the fresh custard base
- Sugar – just enough to make it sweet, but not overly sweet, and to give that crunchy caramel top
- Cream – this makes an extra rich custard (some recipes use a milk & cream mixture)
- Vanilla – this rounds off the dessert and gives that well-known custard flavour
How to make Creme Brulee
First things first – custard. If you have never made a fresh custard before, then now is the time! Egg yolks are whisked together with the sugar until they are slightly thickened and pale. This is then combined with hot cream and a splash of vanilla extract (or pod) and voila – custard! The magic in this dessert is the fact that the custard is only just set and literally like velvet – so cooking time and temperature are paramount.
Cooking the Creme Brulee
To get the right texture of this easy creme brulee, it needs to be cooked with a ‘low & slow’ mindset. This is achieved by a water bath and low temperature to get the right consistency. Place these babies in the oven for 35-45 minutes until they are just set but with a slight wobble in the center. Once cooked the custards need to cool before caramelizing the sugar on top.
Sprinkle with some sugar, then with a blowtorch, get caramelizing! (This may take a little practice!)
Crème Brulée will last for around 4 days in the fridge without the sugar being caramelized. Once you caramelize the sugar, it is best eaten within the hour.
Crème Brulée freezes well so you can have this classy dessert in a snap. Once cooked (but without caramelized sugar topping), let it cool as usual then wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month. Let defrost fully before adding sugar and caramelizing the top.
Easy peasy! Remove from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge (or several hours) before adding the sugar and caramelize.
The easiest way is to place the ramekins under your kitchen grill/broiler. Watch the ramekins carefully as the sugar can continue to colour a little once removed from the oven. Smile and let out an audible ‘mmmm’ as you gaze at your golden brown pots of lusciousness!
Creme Brulee
Ingredients
- 400 ml Double Cream
- 4 Egg Yolks
- 4 Tablespoons Sugar
- Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 Teaspoons of Sugar for caramelizing
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Separate egg yolks into a bowl with the sugar and salt and beat until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is pale and creamy
- Place cream in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until bubbles appear around the edge of the cream, then remove from the heat
- Add a small amount of the hot cream to the yolk mixture then whisk to temper the eggs. Add the rest of the mixture then whisk gently till combined.
- Add vanilla and whisk together gently
- Pour mixture into ramekins and place in a deep baking tray. Fill up with hot water to the middle of the ramekins.
- Place the tray in the oven at 160°C to bake
- After around 35 minutes, and when puddings have a slight wobble in the centre but set, remove from the oven.
- Place in the fridge and leave to cool completely for around 2 hours
- When ready to serve, evenly spread 1 teaspoon of sugar on top of each pudding, and caramelize using a chefs blow torch, or alternatively under the grill of the oven, and serve within one hour