How to Make Crème Brûlée

By Samita Pandit & Thejo Tattala, Edited by Kavya Gurunath, Taruni Manam, & Shoffana Sundaramoorthy, Art by Evelyn Chen, Layout by Vrinda Gandhi, & Blogged by Kavya Gurunath

Crème Brûlée is a sweet and delicate dessert, perfectly combining crunchy and smooth textures. Though time-consuming, it is easy to make with this step-by-step recipe.

Ingredients

- 3 cups heavy cream or 3 cups half-and-half

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- ⅛ teaspoon salt

- 5 egg yolks

- ½ cup granulated sugar

- Some more sugar for topping (amount is your choice, based on your preference)

Process may take several days for best result.

Materials

- Saucepan

- Medium-sized bowl

- Whisk

- Kettle (or hot water)

- 8 Mini Ramekin Pans

- Baking Pan

- Oven

- Thermometer (Optional)

- Blow Torch or Broiler

Process

1. Preheat Oven to 325° F.

2. Mix the cream/half-and-half and salt in the saucepan over the stove. Set to medium-high heat until brought to a gentle boil.

3. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla extract. Cover and let cool for 5 minutes.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar together with a whisk, until well-mixed and the mixture is lighter in color.

5. Add the cream one ladle at a time into the egg mixture, whisking quickly between each addition.*

6. Place the ramekins (a ramekin is a small dish for baking and serving an individual portion of food) in the baking pan. Fill the custard mixture into each ramekin.

7. Fill the baking pan (about ½ inch of the way) with hot water and place the pan with the ramekins in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the sides look set, and the middle is jiggly. Alternatively, you can use a food thermometer to check. They will be done when they reach 170℉.

8. Remove from the oven and place each ramekin on a cooling rack. Once cool, place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Topping: To top, spread a thin layer of sugar on each custard. Then use a blow torch to caramelize the sugar. Alternatively, you can place the ramekins on a baking sheet to place in the broiler and broil just until caramelized.**

Tips

* To prevent the eggs from scrambling, quickly and thoroughly whisk the cream and egg mixture.

** If you do not have a blow torch, you can produce similar results using the broiler. Set the broiler on high heat and place the custards inside until just caramelized. Be sure to keep a watch to prevent the sugar from burning.

References

Bittman, M. (2003, March 19). Vanilla Crème Brûlée. The New York Times. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9039-vanilla-creme-brulee.

Sally, A., & Sally. (2021, February 4). Easy Crème Brûlée. Sally's Baking Addiction. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/creme-brulee/.

by Evelyn Chen