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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Crème Brûlée

    August 21, 2020 by Kankana Saxena

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Crème Brûlée is probably one of those desserts that I will always order if it’s in the menu. Creamy silky custard with the burnt caramelized sugar on top waiting to be cracked. It’s a dessert so easy to make that one shouldn’t wait for restaurant visit to enjoy it.

    What is Crème Brûlée?

    Crème Brûlée is baked custard topped with granulated sugar which is blow torched to burn and caramelize. As you crack the crystalized crystal sugar with a gentle snap the creamy custard oozes out. At every spoon you get a little crunch from the burnt sugar with creamy custard! It is this contrast of texture that makes it Crème Brûlée so delightful and divine.

    Crème Brûlée with fresh fruits

    You need just 5 basic ingredients

    • Heavy Cream
    • Sugar
    • Egg
    • Vanilla extract
    • pinch of salt

    Crème Brûlée is always prepared in individual size portions, and a shallow ramekin is the best choice.

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    Steps to prepare Crème Brûlée

    In a pan, warm the heavy cream along with sugar. Stir around to dissolve the sugar.

    Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Add ¼ cup of the warm milk to the egg yolk and whisk as you pour. This will temper the egg yolk.

    Then pour rest of the warm cream and whisk to mix everything. 

    Strain the custard and pour it in ovenproof individual bowls. (VERY IMPORTANT STEP)

    The cast will be baked in the oven on a water bath. Place the bowls in a deep casserole. Cover the individual bowls with an aluminum foil. Pour hot water to the casserole until it reaches halfway through the bowls. Bake at 325 F for 40 minutes.

    Then place the bowls in the refrigerator for a few hours to set.

    Just before serving, add the sugar on top and caramelize it.

    Caramelized sugar

    How to caramelize the sugar without a blow torch?

    Once you cool, the baked custard in the refrigerator for few hours. Sprinkle a layer of sugar on the custard and place the bowls on a cookie sheet. Place the cookies' sheet on the top rack of the oven and broil for 5 minutes. Do keep an eye as you broil, as it might take more or less time to caramelize the sugar.

    Can you make Crème Brulé eggless?

    YES! Instead of egg, you can thicken the heavy cream by using corn flour instead. Eggless crème Brulé doesn’t need to be baked.

    You can pour the strained custard in the individual bowl and let it set in the refrigerator.

    Add sugar and caramelize it before serving.

    Crème Brûlée

    Crème Brûlée is a delightful dessert which a beautiful texture contrast between silky card and crystallized burnt sugar. I kept the flavor simple here with vanilla extract, but you can use your choice of flavors here.

    TRY MORE DESSERTS! 

    Crème Brûlée

    Kankana Saxena
    Crème Brulee is probably one of those desserts that I will always order if it’s in the menu. Creamy silky custard with the burnt caramelized sugar on top waiting to be cracked. It’s a dessert so easy to make that one shouldn’t wait for restaurant visit to enjoy it.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Additional Time 5 hours hrs
    Total Time 5 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine French
    Servings 7 individual portions
    Calories 323 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • Heavy Cream - 3 cups
    • Sugar - ½ cup plus 7 teaspoons to sprinkle on top of the baked custard for brulee
    • Egg Yolks - 5
    • Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
    • pinch of salt

    Instructions
     

    • Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl
    • Pour the heavy cream, and sugar to a heavy bottom pot and warm it in low heat. Do not boil, just warm the cream and keep stirring to avoid the cream from getting burnt at the bottom of the pan.
    • Once the cream is warm, switch off the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes.
    • Next, pour ¼ cream at a time to the egg yolk and keep whisking as you pour. After pour ¼ cup a few times, pour the rest of the warm cream and whisk to mix everything.
    • Preheat the oven to 325 F
    • Strain the whisk custard mix and then divide into 7 individual ramekins or small baking bowls.
    • The custard will be baked using water bath technique. Place the bowls on a bigger baking dish or casserole and pour hot water to the baking dish carefully without pouring water on the custard. Pour almost halfway through.
    • Place the dish carefully in the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
    • Once baked, it will be a little wobbly in the center. Let it cool down completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 to 5 hrs or overnight. You can make this 3 to 4 days in advance.
    • Just before serving, sprinkle sugar on top of the custard and using a blow torch caramelized the sugar. If you don't have a blow torch, place the custard bowls in a cookie sheet and place it on the top rack of the oven and broil for 5 minutes. Keep as eye as you broil, as it might take more or less time to caramelize.
    • Serve right away!

    Notes

    Can you make Crème Brulé eggless?

    YES! Instead of egg, you can thicken the heavy cream
    by using corn flour instead and add gelatin to set it.
    You can pour the strained custard in the individual bowl and
    let it set in the refrigerator.
    Add sugar and caramelize it before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 7gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 272mgSodium: 70mgSugar: 5g
    Keyword baked custard, custard, egg, sugar, sweets

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. aarthi

      August 14, 2011 at 8:39 pm

      I always want to make this...But afraid of doing it thinking whether it will set or not...Yours look way easy and better..Should try it..

    2. Kiran

      March 31, 2011 at 10:35 am

      Thanks for publishing this indeed an awesome dessert...

    3. Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies

      February 18, 2011 at 4:17 pm

      This looks so elegant. I bet it impresses everyone you serve it to. Thanks for linking this up to Sweets for a Saturday.

    4. Cheryl and Adam

      February 15, 2011 at 11:55 am

      Delicious! One of our favorite deserts. And you do deserve 2, we all do!

    5. briarrose

      February 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm

      The cook always deserves an extra serving. 😉 It's a rule. This looks delicious. I've never tried to make this at home before.

    6. Sandra

      February 13, 2011 at 3:21 pm

      This is fantastic! Mouthwatering photos!! Yummy!

    7. Elyse @ The Cultural Dish

      February 13, 2011 at 10:35 am

      Glad you decided to try the creme brulee!

    8. Priya

      February 13, 2011 at 7:31 am

      Am an addict to this creme brulee, havent had since a long, u r tempting me with ur clicks..

    9. amelia

      February 13, 2011 at 6:13 am

      Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert to order when I go out! Your looks delicious. 🙂
      I love that you made two servings for you...have a great day.

    10. sushma

      February 13, 2011 at 5:36 am

      looks lovely 🙂

    11. Amy

      February 13, 2011 at 2:50 am

      Your creme brulee looks perfect and delicious! I can't wait to go make some!

      Amy
      http://utry.it

    12. Raji

      February 13, 2011 at 2:19 am

      What a nice result of watching a good movie...lovely creme brulee.

    13. Priyanka

      February 12, 2011 at 9:33 pm

      Its yummy.....I made one the other day and added some caramelized banana...thats when I started liking Creme Brulee.....And yours look so tempting I need one today 🙂

    14. Motoko

      February 12, 2011 at 8:32 pm

      Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert, I would like to try.

    15. Vimitha

      February 12, 2011 at 8:09 pm

      Wow dear... Looks damn tempting...

    16. yummychunklet

      February 12, 2011 at 7:02 pm

      I've loved making creme brulee ever since my sister gave me a kitchen blow torch for my birthday! This individual portion recipe looks great!

    17. Manu

      February 12, 2011 at 5:52 pm

      Yum!!!! One of my favourite desserts!!!! I love the crunchy bits! 🙂

    18. Krithi

      February 12, 2011 at 5:04 pm

      Wow.. It is indeed awesome... Kudos to your self-motivation!!

      http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com

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