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This traditional French Creme Brulee recipe is, indeed, a French classic. Rich creamy egg custard with a crunchy caramelized sugar topping. This truly is decadence at its highest. Everyone’s favorite…
Classic Creme Brulee
Now, I say everyone’s favorite, and it is a very popular dessert, however… I do have to add that this creme brulee does have a calorie or 2 in it. It also includes a little more cholesterol than you should really have in one dish. But decadence is defined as “excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury” so as long as you know and accept this… let’s crack on and make them. They really are delicious!! ????
1. Gather all of the ingredients
This classic creme brulee recipe requires 5 ingredients only. That’s right, only 5 for this devilish dessert. I made 8 simply due to the number of people I was catering for but if your number is different just scale the ingredients up or down as you need.
For 8 of these beauties, I used 1 liter of whipping cream (I did say it had a calorie or 2), 200 ml of full-fat milk, 100 grams caster sugar (plus 25 grams sprinkling at the end), 2 vanilla pods, and 10 egg yolks.
Gather the ingredients together
2. How to prepare the vanilla
One of the classic tastes in a traditional French creme brulee recipe is vanilla. You could use vanilla essence but there is nothing like vanilla seeds from vanilla pods.
To remove the vanilla seeds from the pods simply take a sharp kitchen knife and cut the pod lengthways. Then, using in the point of the knife gently scrape the seeds from inside of the pod.
Remove the vanilla seeds from the pod
Remember not to discard the vanilla pods just yet.
3. Prepare the egg yolks and sugar
With the egg yolk separated from the whites (I discarded the whites but you could make some sort of meringue dish from them like a Lemon Meringue or Eton Mess if you fancy), just add the sugar to the yolks.
Add the sugar to the eggs
The, using an electric whisk if you have one, whisk the sugar and eggs together for around 1 minute until you have a creamy and fluffy texture.
Whisk the sugar and egg yolks to a creamy texture
If you don’t have an electric whisk then you can use a hand whisk and a touch of elbow grease. Just note that it will take a little longer.
4. Make the Creme Brulee custard
Preparing the Creme Brulee custard is easy.
Start by pouring the cream into a saucepan and adding the milk and the vanilla seeds and pods. Place this on your stove and heat through until you see little bubbles on the edge of the saucepan. When you see these bubbles remove the creme mixture from the heat.
Almost bring to the boil
Now, you should have the warmed through vanilla cream and the creamy sweet egg yolks.
Whisk in the creme to the eggs
With both of these mixtures ready, place a fine sieve over the bowl with the sweet egg yolks in and slowly pour the cream mixture onto the eggs, whisking all of the time. Make sure you remove the vanilla pods at some point but try and press as much of the vanilla flavor through to the custard as you can.
Finally, and using a dessert spoon, skim off the froth from the top of the custard until all you can see is the liquid itself.
Strain the custard
And there you have it. Your custard is ready.
5. Prepare and bake the Creme Brulee
If you have one it is easier if you now transfer the custard to a large jug. This will help when pouring the custard into the ramekins.
Place your ramekins in a large roasting tray. The tray needs to be deeper than the ramekins are high. Then pour the creamy custard into each ramekin filling up to around 5mm from the top.
Finally, add some hot water into the roasting tray such that it comes up to around 1.5cm from the base of the ramekins. Then loosely cover with kitchen foils and pierce a few holes in the top.
Place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 180C / 160C Fan and bake for 35 minutes or until the tops of the Creme Brulee wobble like jelly when you shake the tray. Once baked remove and place on a cooling wire for 5 minutes and then in the fridge for at least an hour to cool.
Once the Creme Brulee has cooled sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar over each one, covering all of the tops. Then, using a hand sprayer, spray a mist of water over each one. Finally, and using a kitchen blow torch, scorch the tops of each Creme Brulee until the tops have caramelized.
Use a blow torch to caramelize the sugar
Do this to all of the creme brulee and then leave for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Classic Creme Brulee
And that’s all there is to it. A wonderful classic French dessert. Creme Brulee. Enjoy…
If you like this recipe then why not try some of the others from The Yum Yum Club. There’s a section below so just click on whatever you fancy. You can also sign up to our weekly newsletter if you like. Just send your email address through the section at the top of this page.
As always, many thanks for reading and until next time… Steve.
6. Nutritional values
7. Printable recipe
Creme brulee is a classic French dessert of rich creamy custard with a crunchy caramelized sugar topping. This recipe really is pure decadence. Yum! ???? | theyumyumclub.com
- 5 cups whipping cream Metric, 1 litre
- 1 cup full fat milk Metric 200 ml
- 2 vanilla pods, de-seeded
- ¾ cup caster sugar Metric 100 ml
- 10 egg yolks
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First, gather all of the ingredients together.
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Next, de-seed the vanilla pods with a sharp knife. Do not discard the pods.
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Add the sugar to the egg yolks.
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Using an electric whisk, whisk for around 1 minute until the mixture is creamy and light.
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Place the cream, milk and vanilla seeds and pods into a saucepan. Put the pan on your hob and heat through bringing it almost to the boil. Remove from the heat once bubbles start to form around the edges.
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Now slowly pour the warm cream mixture through a fine sieve into the creamy egg yolk and sugar mixture. Make sure you keep whisking this as it is poured in and press as much of the vanilla through the sieve as you can.
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Now, using a dessert spoon, skim off all of the froth from the top of the custard until all you can see is the liquid below.
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Place your creme Brulee ramekins into a large roasting tray and pour the custard into the ramekins. Fill them to 5mm from the top. Once complete add water to the roasting tray so that it comes up to around 1.5cm from the bottom of the ramekins. Now loosely cover the roasting tray with kitchen foil and pierce a few holes in the foil, to allow the air to circulate when baking.
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Place the tray in a preheated oven at 180C / 160C Fan and bake for around 35 minutes. The creme brulees are baked when the tops wobble like jelly when shaken. Once baked, remove and place on a cooling tray for 5 minutes and then straight in the fridge for at least an hour.
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Once the creme brulee are cooled remove from the fridge and sprinkle a tsp of caster sugar over the top of each one. Make sure the sugar cover all of the tops of each Brulee.
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Now, using a small spray gun spray a mist of water over each Creme Brulee. Then, using a kitchen blow torch, heat the tops of the Creme Brulee until the sugar caramelizes.
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Once all have been caramelized then leave for 10 minutes before eating and consume within 2 hours. Fantastic classic Creme Brulee in your own kitchen. Yum!
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Steve, this looks amazing! I’ve always felt a little intimidated about making my own Creme Brulee. I’ve never tried making my own before but this post makes me want to give it a go!
Hi Donna, it’s actually a far more easy recipe than you think. 2 tips though. First, make sure the cream / milk mixture is not still at almost boiling point. Most people complain about the eggs scrambling but this will only happen if the cream mix is too hot when it hits the eggs. Keep it below boiling and keep working when you add the cream. Second, keep the blow torch moving when you scorch the tops. You want an even caramelization and nor burn sugar. Apft from that it’s pretty simple. Good luck!!