Time to get a little fancy and learn how to make one of my favorite desserts, creme brulee. This popular French dessert is basically a custard with melted sugar on top. You just feel sophisticated making and eating it, haha. Traditionally eaten for dessert, I have eaten it for breakfast, many times. Shh, don’t tell anyone.
If you want to impress your friends and family or that special someone, time to bring out the big guns and make them this easy homemade creme brulee recipe. This dessert works perfectly for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.
This dessert is also known as burnt cream, Trinity cream, and is pretty much the same as the Crema Catalana. Don’t be intimidated by this. You go this, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!
Ingredients
1 cup of heavy whipping cream 237ml
1 cup of whole milk 237ml (or use 2 cups of cream)
1 tsp of vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
1/8 th tsp of salt or just a pinch
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
Sugar to melt on top
Instructions
Combine the milk, cream, salt, and vanilla extract (or slit vanilla bean) into a pot and heat up with medium-low heat, just shy of a boil, around 200F/93C.
Remove from heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place them in a medium bowl. Save the egg whites for something else.
Add the sugar to the egg yolks and gently stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes pale yellow. About 1 minute or so.
Pour a little bit of the warm cream/milk through a strainer and into the egg yolk sugar mixture. Gently stir those together, then repeat with a little more warm cream.
Pour the rest of the warm cream/milk into the bowl and stir until well combined. The custard base is ready.
Pour the custard into a container with a spout, like a liquid measuring cup. Then pour it through the strainer again, and fill up the ramekins to the line.
Preheat oven to 210F/93C
Add about 4 cups of really hot water to a 13x9 inch baking pan. Then add the ramekins to it.
Bake for 60 minutes. Then turn up the heat to 300 F/148 C and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until just barely wobbly in the middle.
Remove from oven and let them cool a few minutes in the pan then remove from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Next, chill the creme brulee in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
When ready to serve, sprinkle on about 1 tsp of white granulated sugar, evenly over the top.
Now use the butane kitchen torch and gradually melt the sugar on top using small circular motions. Keep the flame about 2 to 3 inches from the sugar. Don't stay too long in one spot. It takes a little practice.
Allow it to cool for a few minutes for the melted sugar to harden. Then serve. Crack it open with a spoon and eat it. Enjoy!
Find the full recipe here on my website: https://www.inthekitchenwithmatt.com/creme-brulee
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