Easy Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup heavy cream (Also called heavy whipping cream.)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean pod (Use either 1/2 vanilla bean pod, cut in half and scraped for the seeds, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract works in a pinch; amount not specified.)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar (Plus more for the crème brûlée coating; the additional amount is not specified.)
• salt (Pinch.)
• water (A few cups, boiling, for the water bath; add until the water reaches approximately 1/2 inch in the pan.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 300°F (conventional/no fan). Put a few cups of water on to boil for the water bath.

2. 2

   Add the heavy cream, prepared vanilla, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl.

3. 3

   Using a hand whisk, gently whisk until the egg yolks and sugar are incorporated into the cream. Do not whisk too much or aggressively, because incorporating air bubbles can affect the custard.

4. 4

   Place three 8-ounce crème brûlée ramekins or six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9-by-13-inch pan, leaving even spacing between them.

5. 5

   Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.

6. 6

   Divide the strained custard equally among the ramekins.

7. 7

   Carefully pour the boiling water into the 9-by-13-inch pan, avoiding the ramekins, until it reaches approximately 1/2 inch in depth. This creates the water bath; use boiling rather than cold water and avoid adding too little or too much.

8. 8

   Carefully lift the pan containing the water and ramekins and place it in the oven.

9. 9

   Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, until the crème brûlées are set around the edges but still have a Jell-O-like wobble in the middle when gently shaken.

10. 10

    Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully lift the ramekins from the tray using a spatula and immediately transfer them to the refrigerator.

11. 11

    Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

12. 12

    Once chilled, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over each ramekin so the custard is completely coated, especially around the edges.

13. 13

    Using a blowtorch, caramelize the sugar. Hold the torch at a 45-degree angle approximately 2 inches away and gently move it in small circles. Work on one area at a time until the sugar melts and turns deep brown before moving to the next area.

14. 14

    Serve and enjoy. The crème brûlée is best eaten within 1–2 hours after torching, since the caramel coating becomes sticky over time.

Notes

The source also describes an oven-broiler alternative: preheat the broiler/grill for 5 minutes, sprinkle the chilled custards with sugar, place them on the top rack, and watch closely for 2–3 minutes until the sugar melts and caramelizes. The author recommends freezing the custards for 15 minutes beforehand to minimize heating the custard. Do not overbake: the center should remain quite jiggly when removed from the oven. The structured recipe lists 30 minutes cook time, while its instructions specify approximately 30–35 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• French
• baked
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• make-ahead
• custard