Crème Brûlée
For the perfect custard, keep a close eye on your custards while they are baking. Remove them from the oven as soon as the edges are set. The center should still be jiggly. They will continue to cook after they are removed from the oven.
Servings Prep Time
4servings 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
40minutes 2hours to overnight
Servings Prep Time
4servings 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
40minutes 2hours to overnight
Ingredients
Instructions
Custard
  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until light in color and doubled in size. Set aside.
  3. In a saucepan, measure out heavy cream and salt.
  4. If using vanilla bean, cut in half and scrape out seeds. Add seeds to saucepan. If using vanilla extract, it will be added later.
  5. Over medium heat, stir cream mixture and bring to a very gentle simmer. Do not let boil. Remove from heat and strain through a metal sieve.
  6. Temper the egg mixture by whisking it quickly while adding 1 tablespoon of the warm cream mixture.
  7. Add the tempered egg mixture to the warm cream mixture. If using vanilla extract, add it to the saucepan. Stir until well combined.
  8. Pour into 4 ramekins then place ramekins into a baking dish.
  9. Create a water bath by gently pouring very hot water into the pan until it is half way up the ramekins. Take care not to splash any water onto the custard.
  10. Carefully transfer baking dish to a preheated oven and bake at 325° until the custard is still light in color, the edges are set and the center is still jiggly – about 30-40 minutes. My ramekins are 3 1/2″ wide by 2″ deep. Baking times will vary based on size and type of ramekins used.
  11. Remove from oven and carefully remove ramekins from hot water bath. Place on a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours or overnight.
Brûlée
  1. Before serving, remove ramekins from the refrigerator, remove plastic wrap and allow custard to warm up for five minutes.
  2. Spoon a generous teaspoon of granulated sugar in an even layer onto the top of the custard and brûlée, using one of the two methods below.
  3. Using a kitchen torch, with the torch at an angle to the sugar, melt the sugar and brown until a crispy crust is formed and light golden brown to dark brown in color.
  4. To use oven broiler: set oven rack as high as possible. Turn broiler on to high.
  5. Set ramekins in the center of a baking sheet and place on rack. Watching very carefully and rotating sheet as needed to broil crusts evenly, until tops are golden brown.
  6. Let ramekins sit for 5 minutes to cool before serving. Serve within 2 hours.
Recipe Notes

The prepared custard can be refrigerated tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, 2-3 days before serving.

Do not brûlée the tops of the custard until the day of serving.

If Crème Brûlée is refrigerated after the sugar has been caramelized, the crust will become soft.

This Crème Brûlée recipe is gluten free and vegetarian.

Check out our FREE App to help you explore new Gluten-Free products at your local grocery store.
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