This classic French Crème Brûlée is a well-loved dessert famous for its creamy custard base with a silky texture. Topped with hardened caramelized sugar that melts in your mouth, this 4-ingredient dessert is a globally loved dessert for a reason.
Those with a sweet tooth can never refuse this delectable mix of a soft and crunchy dessert. With the help of this easy recipe, you'll find that it really can be simple to master the art of Crème Brûlée. No pastry chef experience is required!
This style of dessert defines French baking. It takes just a handful of ingredients to create an elegant yet simple dessert that highlights the few ingredients within. My Easy Apple Tart, Peach Clafoutis and French Crêpes are other types of divine French recipes that are a must in your arsenal of baking!
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❓ What is Crème Brûlée ?
Crème brûlée, also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, is a classic French dessert that dates back to the 17th century popularized by a French chef who cooked for various aristocratic households. Formerly beloved by the upper classes, crème brûlée has now become a popular dessert loved by the masses all around the world.
The custard base is made by a slow pouring of cream mixture into the egg yolk and baked in a water bath. The real treat comes when the sugar layer on top is caramelized with a kitchen torch until golden brown and crispy resulting in a dessert with a creamy texture and a satisfying crunch.
🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love when it comes to baking a Crème brûlée, but these are some of the biggest reasons why this is about to become your new favorite dessert to bake at home.
Simple ingredients: This recipe is easy to follow and uses just 4 simple ingredients such as cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and egg yolks.
Allows for variations: The vanilla bean paste blends well with other variations that allow you to unleash your creativity. Feel free to experiment with different flavors and textures!
Great for special occasions: This classic and elegant dessert is perfect for special occasions and is sure to impress your guests (or your kids)!
Convenient: The dessert can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to serve. Any time you want to indulge in something sweet and satisfying, crème brûlée is here for you.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
A delicious Crème Brûlée only requires 4 ingredients. This makes it a perfect dessert to make if you are short on time and don’t feel like running to the grocery store for a million ingredients.
- Double (heavy) cream – Double cream provides a super rich and creamy texture to the custard. The high-fat content also helps to set the custard and hold its shape when baked.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar provides sweetness and helps the custard set properly.
- Vanilla bean paste – You can easily get this from the store or make your own. The DIY version involves scraping the seeds from vanilla beans and mixing them with a teeny bit of sugar syrup and a thickening agent, like corn syrup. Alternatively crape the seeds from a vanilla pod and add to the warmed cream.
- Large egg yolks – 4 large egg yolks to add richness and a smooth velvety texture to the custard.
- Extra sugar for sprinkling on top – The sugar melts and caramelizes under high heat to give it that hard, golden-brown crust on top. No crème brûlée experience is complete without breaking the crust with a dessert spoon!
📖 Variations
The classic crème brûlée with vanilla bean is a classic for a reason. But, it doesn't mean you can't experiment by adding in a few of your favorite flavors! To kick your dessert game up a notch and really wear that pastry chef hat, here are some flavors you can play around with.
- Chocolate Crème Brûlée: Add melted chocolate to the custard mixture, to get a rich and decadent dessert. Dark chocolate balances the sweetness of the custard perfectly.
- Fruit-flavored Crème Brûlée: Add pureed fruit such as raspberries, strawberries, or mangoes to the custard for a fruity twist.
- Nutella Crème Brûlée: Add Nutella or hazelnut spread to the custard mixture to get an indulgent, chocolatey dessert.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Crème Brûlée
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
This classic French Crème Brûlée recipe is split into three parts. Make the custard, bake the custard, and finally, brûlée the custard. However, before you start part one of this recipe, heat the oven to 160°C / 325°F first.
Make the Custard
Step 1: Simmer cream and vanilla bean paste. Add cream and vanilla bean paste to a medium saucepan, and on medium heat, bring to a simmer. As soon as you see bubbles around the edge, remove the pan from the heat (Images 1 & 2).
Step 2: Whisk egg yolks and sugar. Whilst the cream mixture is heating, add egg yolks and sugar to a separate mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric whisk, whisk until the mixture thickens and is pale (Images 3 & 4).
Step 3: Temper eggs. Whilst whisking the egg mixture continuously, pour the cream mixture slowly into the eggs until fully added and combined (Images 5 & 6).
TIP: Adding the hot cream all at once to the egg yolks would heat them too quickly and result in bits of scrambled eggs throughout. That's a no-no! Adding the cream in slowly whilst whisking brings down the temperature of the cream whilst concurrently bringing up the temperature of the egg yolks.
Step 4: Sieve mixture. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a jug. This removes any bits of egg that might have snuck through and ensures a super smooth custard (Image 7).
Using a large spoon, scrape off the foam from the top of the mixture and discard (Image 8).
TIP: If you keep the foam and pour the mixture into the ramekins and bake, the tops of the crème brûlée will bake the bubbles creating a very bumpy surface.
Bake the Custard
TIP: Ramekin size. The size I used are x5 ramekins with a 150ml capacity almost filled to the top with the custard mixture. If yours takes more liquid then watch the bake time- that will need to increase.
Step 5: Prepare the pan. Lay a couple of pieces of paper towel into the base of a deep baking dish. Place 5 ramekins into the base of the baking dish (Image 9). Using the jug to pour, divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins (Image 10)
Step 6: Surround ramekins with boiling water. Place the baking tray in the oven. Pour boiling water from a kettle into the baking dish surrounding the ramekins until the water reaches approximately two-thirds up the side of the ramekins (Images 11 & 12). Make sure to avoid pouring hot water into the ramekins themselves.
Step 7: Bake for 35-40 minutes. When the custard is set around the edge but still has a jiggle in the middle, the crème brûlées are ready. As it cools and chills, the custard will set.
TIP: The slightly lower temperature of 160C rather than the standard 180C ensures the custard bakes to a smooth texture. If the custard bakes to high or for too loong it can develope a grainy texture.
Step Eight: Remove the baking tray from the oven. Carefully lift the ramekins from the baking tray and set them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Before and after baking images above (Images 13 & 14).
Brûlée the Custard
Step 9: Sprinkle sugar and caramelise. When ready to serve, sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar over the surface of each crème brûlée and spread it evenly (Images 15).
Use a kitchen blow torch to caramelise the sugar until it becomes a deep amber colour and is bubbling (Image 16). Allow the sugar to cool and create a brittle crust (Image 17) . Serve immediately.
🥣 How To Serve
The best way to serve a Crème Brûlée is when it's chilled, straight from the refrigerator. You can serve it on its own, or garnish the dish with a variety of fresh fruits, whipped cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Crème brûlée also pairs well with a cup of coffee or tea to balance the sweetness of the dessert. You can always depend on a good hot beverage to neutralize your palate.
💭 Recipe Pro Tips
- Slow and steady wins the race. When making the custard, it is important to slowly add the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture to prevent the yolks from scrambling.
- Strain the mixture. Once the custard is made, it's also a good idea to strain the mixture to remove any egg particles, ensuring a smooth and creamy texture.
- Use a hot water bath. To cook the Crème Brûlee, it's best to use a hot water bath to prevent the eggs from scrambling and ensure slow, even cooking.
- Layer to protect. To avoid the custard from heating too quickly from the base of the pan and moving around, you can lay a few layers of paper towel or a tea towel into the base of the pan.
- Chill it. Finally, once your Crème Brûlees are cooked, chill it in the refrigerator for the custard to set and chill sufficiently to achieve that perfect creamy texture.
📋 Recipe FAQs
Heavy cream is the best ingredient to achieve the right texture and consistency for French Crème Brûlée. You can also use whole milk to replace heavy cream but keep in mind that the texture and flavor will change.
Absolutely! You can use the broiler in your oven to caramelize the sugar on top of the custard. However, a blowtorch allows for a more controlled caramelization process.
The custard should be set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. A good test is to gently shake the ramekin – if the custard wobbles like jello, it's done.
❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store: You can store crème brûlée in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to keep it chilled to maintain its creamy texture.
To freeze: It is best to freeze the crème brûlée before adding the caramelized sugar topping. First, wrap the custard in plastic wrap and then tin foil. Place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw the custard in the refrigerator overnight and then add the sugar topping and caramelize it just before serving.
🍮 More Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Classic French Crème Brûlée or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Classic French Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 480 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla bean
- 5 large egg yolks
- 100 g granulated sugar , divided
Instructions
Make the Custard
- Simmer cream and vanilla bean paste. Add cream and vanilla bean paste to a medium saucepan, and on medium heat, bring to a simmer. As soon as you see bubbles around the edge, remove the pan from the heat
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar. Whilst the cream mixture is heating, add egg yolks and half the sugar to a separate mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric whisk, whisk until the mixture thickens and is pale
- Temper eggs. Whilst whisking the egg mixture continuously, pour the cream mixture slowly into the eggs until fully added and combined
Bake the Custard
- Prepare the pan. Lay a couple of pieces of paper towel into the base of a deep baking dish. Place 5 ramekins into the base of the baking dish. Using the jug to pour, divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins
- Surround ramekins with boiling water. Place the baking tray in the oven. Pour boiling water from a kettle into the baking dish surrounding the ramekins until the water reaches approximately two-thirds up the side of the ramekins
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. When the custard is set around the edge but still has a jiggle in the middle, the crème brûlées are ready. As it cools and chills, the custard will set.
- Chill. Remove the baking tray from the oven. Carefully lift the ramekins from the baking tray and set them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Brûlée the Custard
- Sprinkle sugar and caramelise. When ready to serve, sprinkle one teaspoon of the remaining sugar over the surface of each crème brûlée and spread it evenly.Use a kitchen blow torch to caramelise the sugar until it becomes a deep amber colour and is bubbling. Allow the sugar to cool and create a brittle crust. Serve immediately.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
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