Description
Silky dreams creme brulee brings French culinary elegance to home kitchens with classic custard perfection. Caramelized sugar creates a crisp golden topping that cracks beautifully under your spoon, revealing smooth vanilla-infused richness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Extra granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
Instructions
- Preparation: Arrange ramekins on a towel-lined roasting pan, creating a stable foundation for the delicate custards.
- Cream Infusion: Heat cream gently, incorporating vanilla bean for depth of flavor. Remove pod after steeping to preserve subtle aromatics.
- Custard Foundation: Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale and velvety. Temper the mixture by slowly incorporating warm cream, maintaining smooth consistency and preventing egg scrambling.
- Refinement: Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate potential lumps. Distribute liquid evenly across ramekins with precision and care.
- Water Bath Technique: Pour heated water around ramekins, reaching midway up their sides to ensure gentle, uniform cooking environment.
- Baking Process: Position pan in preheated oven, baking until custards display set edges with a delicate center wobble – approximately 35 minutes at consistent temperature.
- Chilling Stage: Cool custards to room temperature, then refrigerate for minimum four hours to develop optimal texture and flavor concentration.
- Caramelization Finale: Sprinkle sugar surface evenly. Use kitchen torch to transform sugar into a glossy, crackling amber crust with fluid, consistent motion.
- Serving Presentation: Allow caramel to solidify briefly. Crack through golden surface dramatically, revealing silky custard beneath, and serve immediately for maximum sensory impact.
Notes
- Select Premium Ingredients: Use high-quality heavy cream, fresh egg yolks, and pure vanilla for a luxurious, authentic flavor profile that elevates the dessert’s sophistication.
- Master Temperature Control: Heat cream gently to prevent scorching and maintain a delicate texture; use medium-low heat and watch for subtle steam, not aggressive boiling.
- Strain for Silky Smoothness: Always pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any potential egg fragments, ensuring an impossibly smooth, velvety consistency.
- Torch Technique Matters: When caramelizing sugar, move the torch continuously and maintain a consistent distance to create an even, golden-brown crust without burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg