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Perfect Crème Brûlée Recipe Easy Silky Smooth Custard at Home

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A dangerously easy and silky smooth crème brûlée recipe that delivers pure nostalgic comfort with a crackly caramel topping. Perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups heavy cream (480 ml)
  • 1 cup half-and-half (240 ml)
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
  • 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g), plus extra for caramelizing topping
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Place a kitchen towel at the bottom of a large roasting pan to prevent ramekins from sliding.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, half-and-half, and the scraped vanilla bean pod plus seeds. Warm over medium heat until just simmering (small bubbles around the edges), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
  5. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits or vanilla pod pieces.
  6. Divide the custard evenly among 6 to 8 ramekins (4 to 6 ounces / 120 to 180 ml each).
  7. Place ramekins in the roasting pan on top of the towel. Pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until custards are set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  9. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  10. Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly on top of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and crackly. Let harden for a minute or two before serving.

Notes

Use a water bath to ensure even gentle cooking and prevent cracking. Temper eggs slowly with warm cream to avoid curdling. Caramelize sugar topping just before serving for best texture. If no kitchen torch, use broiler but watch closely to avoid burning. Custard should be slightly jiggly when done baking and will firm up as it chills. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor and texture. Do not freeze as it affects texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: crème brûlée, custard, dessert, caramelized sugar, vanilla, easy dessert, French dessert, silky custard

Find it online: https://juliamadeit.com/perfect-cr-e-me-br-u-l-e-e-recipe-easy-silky-smooth-custard-at-home/