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Crème brûlée

Crème brûlée, an elegant and classic French dessert, is a silky vanilla-infused custard covered with a thin, crackly layer of caramelised sugar. Divinely rich and smooth, crème brûlée only requires 5 ingredients.

Prep:

minutes

Cook:

35

minutes

TOtal:

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 35% whipping cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar

‍

  • Kettle of boiled water
  • 4 tsp granulated sugar for caramelisation

Instructions

  1. Place the oven rack in the middle position.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  3. Place 4 porcelain ramekins in a baking pan.
  4. Use a paring knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape its seeds.
  5. Add the cream, the split vanilla bean, its seeds, and salt to a medium saucepan.
  6. Bring the cream to a boil.
  7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover with a lid. *If you are using vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean, add the vanilla before putting the lid on.
  8. Let the cream infuse  and cool down for 15 minutes with the lid on.
  9. Boil water in a kettle.
  10. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined and light in colour.
  11. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.
  12. Pour the cream over the strainer to catch the vanilla bean.
  13. Slowly pour ¼ of the cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
  14. Add the remainder of the cream to the egg mixture and whisk until incorporated.
  15. Pour the mixture into the 4 ramekins.  Fill each ramekin to the 6-ounce mark (8 ounce is the full capacity of the ramekin).  The 6-ounce mark is the line where the ramekin then goes wider for the lip.
  16. Carry the baking pan containing the ramekins close to the oven.
  17. Pour the boiled water from the kettle into the baking pan.  The water should reach the halfway mark of the ramekins.
  18. Place the baking pan in the oven.
  19. Bake for 35 minutes, until the centre is barely set and still has a wobble (30 to 40 minutes, depending on your oven).
  20. Let the ramekins cool in the baking dish.
  21. Cover the ramekins.
  22. Transfer the ramekins to the fridge.
  23. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
  24. Take the ramekins out of the fridge and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  25. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar on each ramekin.
  26. Shake the ramekins to make sure the cream is completely covered by the layer of sugar.
  27. Use a small butane blow torch to caramelise the sugar.  If you do not have a torch, place the ramekins in the oven and use the broiler setting.
  28. Once the tops are caramelised, let the crème brûlée sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  29. Cover the ramekins and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.