Crème Brûlée may look fancy, but it’s incredibly easy to make! With a creamy custard filling and caramelized sugar topping, it’s a show-stopping dessert. Top with fresh berries for extra flair. This recipe comes from a pastry chef known for making the best Crème Brûlée!
Looking for other elegant yet effortlessly prepared desserts? Give our Cheesecake Bars, Cannoli Dip, or Tiramisu a try!
Crème Brûlée
During my years working in a fine dining restaurant, I was privileged to learn how to make Crème Brûlée from a pastry chef who was renowned for crafting the best Crème Brûlée there. He generously shared his “secrets” and to my surprise, showed how truly simple it is to prepare!
This dessert is among the easiest to create, requiring just 5 ingredients and minimal hands-on preparation time. Its association with sophistication might stem from the use of ramekins and a kitchen torch. But once you have those tools, you’ll be surprised at how easily this dessert comes together.
Also, Crème Brûlée is the ultimate make-ahead dessert. You can prepare the custard well in advance, store it in the fridge, and then add the signature caramelized sugar topping just before serving.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the process and share my top tips. Let’s get started!
Quick Tip
Here’s how to pronounce Crème Brûlée: krem broo-LAY.
Ingredients in Creme Brûlée
Create the most delicious Crème Brûlée with just five simple ingredients.
- Vanilla: You can use a vanilla bean, vanilla paste, or vanilla extract. Vanilla adds a really nice flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch of sea salt for flavor and to balance the sweetness.
- Heavy Cream: This makes the custard creamy and rich.
- Egg Yolks: The yellow part of large eggs. They make the custard thick. Use leftover whites in our Meringue Cookies recipe; they pair wonderfully with this dessert!
- Sugar: You’ll need some sugar for sweetness and to create the caramelized top.
Quick Tip
Crème Brûlée is French for ‘burnt cream‘ due to its crispy, caramelized sugar topping on the custard. While the topping may appear browned, and even slightly blackened, take care not to burn it!
How To Make Creme Brulee
How To Make Creme Brulee- Prepare Vanilla: Scrape seeds from the bean.
- Infuse Cream: Heat cream with the vanilla pod for flavor. Add in salt.
- Mix: Whisk vanilla seeds, egg yolks, and sugar. Slowly add the warm cream, stirring until smooth.
- Bake: Pour mixture into ramekins. Use a water bath (a larger pan with hot water) for baking. Bake until the custards are just set with a slight jiggle in the center.
- Chill: Cool and refrigerate Crème Brûlées for 6-8 hours.
- Caramelize: Before serving, sprinkle sugar atop each custard and torch until golden.
Quick Tip
Crème Brûlée Texture: Crème Brûlée should have a thick custard-like consistency similar to thick full-fat Greek yogurt. Its taste should be velvety, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth rich.
Tips For Success
- Ramekin Size: You can use 4-ounce, 5-ounce, or 6-ounce ramekins based on your preference. Larger ramekins will yield thicker custards and take slightly longer to bake.
- Egg Yolks: Organic eggs with deep-colored yolks work best to give your Crème Brûlée custard a rich and vibrant color.
- Vanilla Bean vs. Extract: Using a real vanilla bean adds both visual appeal and an incredible flavor to your custard. However, high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste are good alternatives.
- Tempering Eggs: To avoid curdling when mixing the hot cream into the eggs, temper the eggs by adding the hot liquid slowly.
- Superfine Sugar: For the sugar topping, use superfine sugar as it caramelizes better and forms a delicious crispy layer.
- Water Bath: Baking the custards in a water bath ensures even cooking and prevents cracking. Be careful not to get any water into the custard cups. Read more about water baths here.
- Chilling Time: Allow the custards to chill for at least 6-8 hours (overnight is best!) in the fridge. This step is crucial for achieving the perfect texture.
Crème Brûlée FAQs
Crème Brûlée is served cool or at room temperature. The custard is chilled, and the sugar topping is caramelized just before serving, creating a warm, crispy layer. It’s not served hot.
Crème Brûlée is done when the edges are set but the center slightly jiggles; it will firm up when cooled and refrigerated.
To caramelize Crème Brûlée in the oven, position the rack at the top and broil on high. Place custards sprinkled with superfine sugar on a tray on the top shelf, and broil for 1-3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
Créme Brûleé tools
Créme Brûleé does require a few specialty tools, and below are exactly what I use:
What To Serve With Créme Brûleé
Crème Brûlée is a decadent dessert on its own, but you can elevate it even more by pairing it with one or a couple of the following:
- Fresh berries and fresh mint or edible flowers
- Sprinkle of powdered sugar or sea salt flakes
- Thumbprint Cookies with a raspberry center
- Shortbread Cookies, Madeleines, or Biscotti
- Candied pecans or candied walnuts
- Sorbet or ice cream
The Best Crème Brûlée
Equipment
- ramekins see note 1
- Kitchen torch or oven, see note 1
- Medium pot
- Baking dish 9 x 13-inch
Ingredients
- 1 full vanilla bean or 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 large egg yolks must be at room temperature, see note 2
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar divided, or superfine sugar if you have it!
- 6 cups water
- Fresh berries optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- If using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds in a large bowl. Place the empty pod in a pot and combine with salt and heavy cream.
- Heat the cream mixture on the stove until it simmers, without boiling (low heat for about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; discard the vanilla pod. Stir in vanilla extract or paste if you’re using those instead.
- Meanwhile, in your bowl with vanilla seeds, add egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk (by hand) until combined. Simultaneously, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Do not whisk too briskly or you’ll end up with a custard that rises and falls or has lots of bubbles on the surface. While whisking at a slow and steady pace, gradually pour in 1/4 of the warmed cream mixture into the egg and sugar blend. Mix until combined, then continue to add remaining cream mixture, while whisking consistently.
- Position ramekins in a 9×13-inch pan. Pour the custard mixture into the ramekins, filling almost to the top. Carefully (using a glass liquid measuring cup) scoop boiling water into the pan until it’s halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully transfer to oven and bake 30–35 minutes until the custards are set (with a slight jiggle in the center when you gently shake). Remove from water bath and allow to cool at room temperature, then chill in fridge for 6–8 hours (or up to 4–5 days).
- When ready to serve, sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar evenly over the custards. Swirl the sugar for even coverage, tipping excess into the next ramekin. Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch until it’s golden or slightly charred. Garnish with fresh berries and serve immediately.
- Alternative Caramelization (no torch): Ensure brûlées are chilled for at least 24 hours. Adjust oven rack to topmost and set to high broil. Broil sugar-topped custards for 1–3 minutes, watching very closely. Then refrigerate for 10–20 minutes to re-firm custard.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The foam from beating the sugar and yolks together formed a crust on top.
It’s a good idea to strain the mixture into a jug for easy pouring…I remembered that from a previous recipe. It’s a very sweet custard so next time I try it I will use less sugar. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing that tip Jan! 🙂
I’ve made this twice and it legitimately is the best! First time I didn’t realize you should get rid of bubbles, and learned that a quick torch over the surface before they go into the oven works like magic. They set beautifully both times otherwise and tasted superb – better than any I’ve been served in a restaurant. I followed the recipe exactly, only using a double boiler to heat the cream/vanilla/salt, and went with 6 4oz ramekins. Perfection, with just the right ratio of custard to crust. Thanks for making this intimidating dessert accessible and still excellent.
This is such a compliment! Thanks so much and thanks for the tip on the bubbles! 🙂
I have a dairy allergy and I’m wondering if I could use coconut milk or coconut cream instead. Have you ever tried this and are there other modifications I would need to make if using coconut milk or cream? Thanks so much! So excited to try it as I love creme brûlée.
I accidentally put the salt in the eggs. Will this make a differences?
That’s fine 🙂
I only have two 4 oz. ramekins. Can I store the extra filling in the fridge and then bake it the next day?
Yes! 🙂
I can’t find heavy cream, can I use heavy whipped cream instead?
These are on another level amazing! Simple, yet so elegant! I like a thick layer of the sugar so I torch one layer, let cool for 30-60 secs then add another small sprinkle of sugar and torch again. Thank u so much for this recipe!
I am so happy you loved this! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
I made this twice now and it is so easy and delicious. Now it’s a family favorite!! Thank you
I’m so glad you have loved these creme brûlée’s so much! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
It had been years since I had made creme brulee, and all of my cookbooks are put away in storage. So I chose this recipe and it was fantastic! The final product turned out just like I used to make. My only regret is that I can’t (or shouldn’t) have it every day. ☹️
Hahaha I’m soo happy to hear this!! I definitely share the same regret! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Hi,I want to make these in advance of a dinner party – how many days can I keep in fridge? Thanks!
I’ve kept them (covered tightly) in the fridge for 4 days in advance before with no adverse reactions; I’ve never done longer than that so I’m not sure if it can stretch more.