Crème Brûlée
🛠 Necessary utensils
- 6 ramekins (8 cm)
- Kitchen torch
- Roasting pan for water bath
- Fine-mesh strainer
🛒 Ingredients
| 500 ml | heavy cream |
| 1 | vanilla bean, split lengthwise |
| 6 | egg yolks |
| 80 g | granulated sugar (for custard) |
| 60 g | granulated sugar (for brûlée top) |
| 1 pinch | pinch of salt |
Preparation
Step 1: Infuse the cream
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).
In a saucepan, scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream and add the pod.
Warm over medium heat until small bubbles form at the edges, then remove and let infuse for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make the custard base
Whisk the egg yolks with 80g sugar and a pinch of salt until pale.
Remove the vanilla pod and slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks, whisking constantly.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any cooked egg.
Step 3: Bake in a water bath
Divide the custard among 6 ramekins.
Place them in a roasting pan and pour hot water around them, halfway up the sides.
Bake 35-40 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers jiggle slightly.
Step 4: Chill and brûlée
Let the ramekins cool, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (ideally overnight).
Just before serving, sprinkle 10g of sugar evenly over each.
Torch the sugar until it melts and turns deep amber, then let cool 1 minute for a crisp shell.
💡 Tips and variations
- The custard is done when the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when shaken — it firms up during chilling.
- Brûlée the sugar top just before serving so the crust stays crackling-crisp against the cold cream.
