Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Name: Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 340 min
Yield: 6 ramekins
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped; 6 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 pinch salt; 6 tbsp granulated sugar, for the tops

6 ingredients · 7 steps · 5 hr 40 min

By Melis · developed and cooked in our studio kitchen

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Classic vanilla bean crème brûlée with a silky baked custard and a thin, crackly caramelized sugar top. Total time: 5 hr 40 min.

Crème brûlée is a rich custard of heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean, baked gently in a water bath and chilled until set. The low oven and water bath keep the texture smooth and creamy rather than eggy.

Just before serving, a thin layer of sugar on top is melted with a kitchen torch until it hardens into a glassy amber crust. Tapping through that crust into the cold, vanilla-flecked custard is the whole point. The dessert is naturally gluten-free.

Can you make crème brûlée without a torch?

A kitchen torch gives the most even crust, but the broiler also works. Chill the custards well, sprinkle on the sugar and set the ramekins on a sheet pan close under a hot broiler. Watch them the whole time and pull them out as soon as the sugar turns amber, usually within a few minutes.

Why is my crème brûlée runny?

A runny custard is usually underbaked or not chilled long enough. Bake until the edges are set and the centers still jiggle slightly, about 35 to 40 minutes, when the custard reaches about 170°F (77°C). Then chill it for at least 4 hours so it firms up.

Can you make crème brûlée ahead of time?

Yes. Bake and chill the custards up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Caramelize the sugar no more than an hour before serving, or the crust softens.

Do you serve crème brûlée hot or cold?

The custard is served cold, after at least 4 hours in the fridge. The sugar on top is torched just before serving, so the crust is warm and crackly over a chilled custard. Let it stand for 2 minutes so the caramel hardens.

Can you make crème brûlée with vanilla extract?

Yes. Use 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste in place of the vanilla bean, and stir it in after the cream is warmed.

Ingredient notes and swaps

No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, stirred in after the cream is warmed. Use granulated or superfine sugar for the top. A thin, even layer caramelizes best.

The custards can be baked and chilled up to 3 days ahead. Caramelize the sugar no more than an hour before serving or the crust softens.

How to make Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Step 1
Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Set six 6-oz (180 ml) ramekins in a deep baking dish.
Step 2
Warm the cream with the vanilla seeds and pod until steaming, then remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar and salt until pale. Remove the pod and slowly whisk in the warm cream.
Step 4
Strain the custard through a fine sieve and skim off any foam. Divide among the ramekins.
Step 5
Pour hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still jiggle slightly. The custard should reach about 170°F (77°C).
Step 6
Lift the ramekins out, cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Step 7
Before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen torch until deep amber. Let stand 2 minutes to harden.

Tips and storage

Pull the custards out when the edges are set and the centers jiggle like gelatin. A center that ripples like liquid needs more time. Small bubbles on the surface or a grainy texture mean the custard baked too long or too hot.

If drops of moisture collect on the chilled custards, blot them gently with a paper towel before adding the sugar. Sugar on a wet surface melts into syrup instead of forming a crust.

Hold the torch flame a few inches above the sugar and keep it moving. Turning the ramekin helps the sugar color evenly. Stop at deep amber, since darker caramel tastes bitter.

The recipe leaves 6 egg whites. Keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and use them for meringues or an omelet. Rinse and dry the used vanilla pod and bury it in a jar of sugar for vanilla sugar.

As a variation, steep a strip of orange zest in the cream along with the vanilla, then strain it out in step 4.

Covered, unbrûléed custards keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe