French Crème Brûlée
An elegant French custard dessert with a rich vanilla cream base and a crackling caramelized sugar topping. The contrast between the silky custard and crisp burnt sugar is magical.
Md Afroz Alam
45
Cook Time
6
Servings
reviews
Medium
Difficulty
Instructions
Infuse cream
Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Heat cream with vanilla bean pod and seeds in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 15 minutes.
Real vanilla bean is essential for authentic flavor - extract won't give the same depth or visual appeal.
Prepare custard base
Whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar and salt until pale and thick. Slowly pour warm cream into yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Strain through fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits.
Pour the cream very slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs - temperature control is crucial.
Bake in water bath
Divide custard among six ramekins. Place in a deep baking dish and fill with hot water halfway up the sides. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 35-45 minutes until set but still jiggly in center.
The water bath ensures gentle, even cooking without curdling the delicate custard.
Chill completely
Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled and firm.
Properly chilled custard is essential for the sugar topping to caramelize correctly.
Caramelize sugar
Just before serving, sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons superfine sugar evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize sugar until golden and crackling. Let set for 1 minute before serving.
Hold the torch at a consistent distance and move in circular motions for even caramelization.
Ingredients
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