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Creme Brulee

recipefrenchdessertcustard

Servings:

Creme Brulee

#recipe

Attribution: Alex FrenchGuy

Yield: 0 serving(s)

Time: 1.5+ hours bake + overnight vanilla infusion + chill

About

A silky creme brulee with a thin, brittle caramel top. The same base is close to crema catalana and burnt cream.

Ingredients

  • 0g 30% fat cream
  • 0g full-fat milk
  • 0g sugar
  • 0g mostly egg yolks with a little egg white for structure
  • 0 vanilla pod(s)
  • Demerara sugar or brown sugar, for torching

Egg Reference

  • 1 whole egg is about 60g.
  • 1 egg yolk is about 20g.
  • For the custard, use mostly yolks and include just a little white for structure.

Vanilla Infusion Options

Vanilla Milk, No Alcohol

  1. Split the vanilla pods and scrape out the seeds.
  2. Cut the scraped pods into 1-inch pieces.
  3. Add the seeds and pods to hot or simmering milk.
  4. Turn off the heat and let the milk cool with the vanilla in it.
  5. Refrigerate overnight.
  6. The next day, strain out the pods. The milk should still be dotted with vanilla seeds.

Vodka or Rum

  1. Split the vanilla pods and scrape out the seeds.
  2. Cut the scraped pods into 1/2-inch pieces.
  3. Add the seeds and pod pieces to a small container.
  4. Cover with a small amount of vodka or rum.
  5. Leave overnight to infuse. The liquid should be caramel colored by the next day.

Instructions

Make the Custard

  1. Add the milk and sugar to a large bowl and mix until combined.
  2. Add the cream, egg mixture, and vanilla infusion, mixing gently as each ingredient goes in.
  3. Do not whisk hard or incorporate air. Avoid foam; the custard's silky texture depends on it.

Bake

  1. Fill ramekins or wide, shallow ovenproof containers to 3/4 height.
  2. Bake at 100°C / 210°F for 1.5+ hours.
  3. Pull them when they are still a little wobbly.
  4. Refrigerate until fully set and completely chilled — ideally overnight.

- Critical: Do not skip the fridge rest. If the custard is torched/served before it has fully chilled and set, it will stay loose and sloshy instead of becoming a set custard.

Brulee the Tops

  1. Saturate the top of each custard with demerara or brown sugar.
  2. Tilt and turn the ramekin on its side to swipe away the excess sugar.
  3. Torch the sugar until it melts into small puddles. It will set into one thin, brittle layer.
  4. Serve once the caramel is brittle, delicate, and solid under light pressure.

Notes

  • Do not brûlée until the custard is fully cold and set. Refrigerate overnight when possible; this is not optional for texture.
  • If you want a thicker caramel top, leave more sugar on the surface instead of swiping away the excess.
  • A broiler or grill can work, but it is easier to burn the top. Keep the custards very close to the heating element so the sugar caramelizes quickly without warming the custard too much.
  • Use real vanilla extract if you cannot get vanilla pods.