One of the many wonderful benefits of fresh eggs is that they elevate any recipe from merely delicious to truly divine.
That holds true especially with this classic Créme Brûleé recipe.
Using only four ingredients, this is my go-to dessert for special occasions. It's so simple to make, but so elegant, and super easy to scale the recipe for any number of guests.
Plus, you can make it in advance and just bring the custards out and brulee them when it's time for dessert.
Easy to make, creme brulee allows the freshness and taste of the eggs from your chickens shine.
The combination of the sweet brittle sugar coating atop a silky smooth custard underneath is irresistible.
Classic Créme Brûleé
(makes 6)
3 Cups heavy cream
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
8 egg yolks, whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 3 vanilla beans scraped
6 round or oval single-serving oven-proof ramekins (4-6 oz. size)
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar or superfine sugar if you have it
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place ramekins in a baking pan and set aside. Set a teakettle of water on the stove to boil.
Combine cream and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla.
Strain and divide the strained liquid into the ramekins. Set in the oven and carefully pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until just set (centers will move slightly when gently shaken).
Let cool, then carefully remove ramekins from the water bath, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours (or up to two days).
When ready to serve, sprinkle top of each custard with 1 Tablespoon sugar, then broil or brown with a handheld kitchen torch until sugar melts and bubbles.
Let cool just until topping hardens and serve immediately.
(scroll down to the bottom for the clickable recipe card)
DID YOU KNOW---> The first creme brulee recipe was published in Frenchman François Massialot's cookbook,“Cuisinier Roial et Bourgeois” (Royal and Borgeoise Cooking) in 1691 and literally means 'burnt cream'.
Classic Creme Brulee
ingredients:
- 3 Cups heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 8 egg yolks, whisked
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 3 vanilla beans scraped
- 6 round or oval single-serving oven-proof ramekins (4-6 oz. size)
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar or superfine sugar if you have it
instructions:
How to cook Classic Creme Brulee
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place ramekins on a rimmed baking pan and set aside. Set a teakettle of water on the stove to boil.
- Combine cream and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla.
- Strain and divide the strained liquid into the ramekins.
- Set in the oven and carefully pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until just set (centers will move slightly when gently shaken). Let cool, then carefully remove ramekins from the water bath, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours (or up to two days).
- When ready to serve, sprinkle top of each custard with 1 Tablespoon sugar, then broil or brown with a handheld kitchen torch until sugar melts and bubbles.
- Let cool just until topping hardens and serve immediately.
