Vanilla Creme Brulee Recipe

Love classic French recipes? 🇫🇷 Then you’ll also like my recipes for Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, Gougeres, French Onion Soup and Poulet à la Moutarde. Creme Brulee is one of my favorite recipes to order when dining at a restaurant. I just can’t resist it! But that also means that I’ve had my fair share of “meh” creme brulee. Runny, bland, brulee topping not crackly enough, different flavor twist gone wrong (I’m looking at you matcha), you name it! So I decided it was time to learn to make it homemade and I braced myself to something incredibly difficult, complicated and… well, French! To my surprise, this was one of the easiest dessert recipes I have ever done. Yes, it requires planning ahead because the custard has to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. But, apart from that, making creme brulee is a walk in the park! In a way, I’m kinda glad I didn’t learn this earlier in life, or I’d be even more overweight than I already am! 😂

What is Creme Brulee?

Crème Brûlée (pronounced krem-boo-lay), which means “burnt cream”, is a French dessert that consists of a rich custard topped with caramelized sugar. The classic version is flavored with vanilla, but nowadays you can find lots of different creme brulee flavors, such as chocolate, lemon, matcha (🙄), and even lavender! Earlier versions of this dessert in France had the brulee topping presented as a previously prepared caramel disc. It is only in modern versions that the sugar is burnt with a torch.

Where did it originate?

France, England and Spain all claim to be the ones that created the first version of this dessert. The first recording of creme brulee in its French form happened in 1691, in François Massialot’s cookbook called Le Cuisinier Royal Et Bourgeo. However, since custards have been popular across Europe since the Middle Ages, it’s impossible to pinpoint the creme brulee’s roots. The crema catalana, which is the Catalan dessert the Spanish claim inspired the creme brulee, dates back to the 14th century. It is very similar to creme brulee, but made with milk instead of cream, and flavored with orange (or lemon) zest and cinnamon. It is traditionally served on Saint Joseph’s Day. Then there’s England’s claim, a similar custard dessert with a caramelized topping, called “Trinity Cream” or “Cambridge Burnt Cream”. It was introduced at Trinity College, in Cambridge, in 1879, and the blistered sugar topping was embossed with the college arms via a branding iron. Legend has it that it was an undergraduate that offered the recipe (from an Aberdeenshire country house) to the college cook. The cook initially turned it down but later, after the student became a fellow, started serving it. That dessert is still served at the school today! That all being said, it wasn’t until well into the 1980s that the creme brulee gained the popularity it has today, probably after Sirio Maccioni introduced it at his New York restaurant “Le Cirque”. According to food writer Colman Andrews, it became “a symbol of that decade’s self-indulgence and the darling of the restaurant boom”.

Ingredients

To make this Vanilla Creme Brulee recipe, you will need:

Sugar – You will need white granulated sugar to make the custard and also to make the brulee topping. Egg Yolks – For a creamy and rich custard, we’ll use just yolks. Save the whites to make meringue or pavlova!Heavy Cream – I have seen recipes call for milk or half and half in addition to, or instead of, heavy cream. I imagine the custard would be lighter, but since I like my creme brulee as French as it can be (as in very creamy and flavorful), I always make mine with heavy cream.Vanilla – I strongly recommend you use vanilla beans to make this creme brulee recipe. If you must substitute, vanilla extract is okay but the vanilla flavor won’t be as pronounced.Salt – A small pinch of salt enhances flavors.

How to Make Vanilla Creme Brulee

Is it difficult to make creme brulee? No. Can it go terribly wrong? Yes, if you try to skip some steps or under/overcook it. These are some common creme brulee problems and the reason they happen:

Soupy or Runny Creme Brulee – Is your yolks to cream ratio correct (3 yolks per cup of liquid)? If using my recipe it is, so you, most likely, undercooked it. It also needs at least 4 hours in the fridge to finish setting.Grainy/Scrambled Creme Brulee – If you don’t temper the egg yolks, the eggs can scramble and you will end up with a sweet omelette instead of a custard.Curdled Creme Brulee – You probably overcooked it. Creme Brulee will curdle if its internal temperature goes above 175ºF. That’s why it is highly recommended to bake the custards in a water bath.

If you encountered the problem of an unset custard, you can fix it if you don’t mind the extra effort. I have not tested this method, but according to my research, it works. Just scrape off the custard into a strainer and press with a rubber spatula, into a bowl. That should leave you with a smooth custard base. Place the custard in a double boiler and slowly heat it, then transfer to ramekins and bake in a water bath in a 300ºF oven, until set. But if you follow my recipe and tips, you will not have to fix anything as your creme brulee will come out perfect every time! Recommended tools and equipment: saucepan, mixing bowl, whisk, ramekins, baking sheet, torch. Here’s how I make this creme brulee recipe. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!

Step 1: Make the custard

Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out with a knife or spoon.Heat the heavy cream with the vanilla seeds, vanilla bean and salt. Then, turn off the heat, cover and let the mixture infuse for 5 to 10 minutes.Whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. That will require some arm work, unless you want to use a hand mixer.Add a ladleful of the hot liquid to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Then, add the remaining of the liquids, whisking to combine.Pour the mixture into six ramekins and transfer the ramekins to a rimmed baking dish.

Step 2: Bake the custard

Fill the baking dish with boiling water so it covers the ramekins two-thirds up their sides.Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the custards are barely set (center still a little jiggly). Internal temperature should be 170-175ºF if you prefer to check with a thermometer.Remove from oven and let them cool completely, then carefully cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, better, overnight.

Step 3: Make the brulee topping

Remove the creme brulee from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you do the brulee topping. If you notice any moisture on top of the custards, gently dab it away with a paper towel. Sprinkle sugar on top of each custard. You can swirl the ramekins to distribute the sugar evenly, creating a thin layer.Using a torch, melt the sugar so it caramelizes and hardens, creating the signature crackly top.Let the creme brulee sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Making Creme Brulee without a Torch

That being said, if you do not own one and do not want to get one, you can caramelize your creme brulee topping using your broiler. To do that, move your top rack as close to the broiler as possible, then turn the broiler on and broil the creme brulee with the sugar topping for 5 to 10 minutes, rotating them as needed so the sugar caramelizes evenly.

Serving Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is traditionally served cold with the topping warm, since you are supposed to torch it and immediately serve it! However, I know some restaurants like to put the creme brulee in the freezer after torching, to quickly set the top and reduce some of the heat. You can do that or even refrigerate the ramekins for up to 30 minutes, but no more than that or the sugar crust will begin to soften. Garnishing is optional, but if you want to embellish your creme brulee, you can decorate with fresh mint and berries!

Variations

Creme Brulee variations are endless! A quick Google search and you will find several creative recipes to try. Here are a few suggestions:

Chai or Earl Grey Creme Brulee – When infusing the cream with the vanilla, add a bag of chai or earl grey tea to steep in the liquid. Chocolate Creme Brulee – Whisk in about 4 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate to the hot cream, before you temper the eggs.Raspberry Creme Brulee – Make a raspberry (or whatever berry you like) coulis by cooking 1 pint of the berries with 1/2 cup sugar until thickened. Add a layer of the coulis to the bottom of the ramekins before adding the custard.