Creme Brulee

gredients 

• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy cream

• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) whole milk

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 7 large egg yolks (98g)

• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

• Just-boiled water, for the water bath

• Raw or granulated sugar, for topping (see note)

Directions

1. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325ºF (163ºC). In a large bowl, whisk yolks with granulated sugar until smooth (do not combine the sugar and yolks until you are ready to add the dairy; if left to stand before adding the dairy, the sugar will absorb moisture from the yolks and leave behind hard, clumpy bits, something pastry chefs refer to as “burning” the yolks). Set a fine-mesh strainer over yolk mixture and pour cream mixture through; discard vanilla bean. Whisk custard base until thoroughly combined.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

3. Set six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Divide custard base evenly among the ramekins, filling them 1/4 inch from the top of the rim. (If you have a few tablespoons of extra custard, that’s okay.) Pour just-boiled—but not boiling—water (around 180º to 200ºF; 88º to 93ºC) into baking dish until it comes 2/3 of the way up the ramekins; be careful not to splash water into the ramekins as you pour. Carefully transfer baking dish to middle rack of oven and bake until custards are just set (they should jiggle slightly in the middle and register 175ºF/79ºC to 178ºF/81ºC on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center), about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, and, using towels or silicone-coated tongs, carefully transfer ramekins to a cooling rack. Allow custards to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until set, uncovered, at least 4 hours.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

4. To finish and serve, let custards stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Right before serving, top the surface of each custard with an even layer of raw sugar (about 2 teaspoons per ramekin), swirling the ramekins to distribute the sugar evenly. Working in a circular motion, use a butane blowtorch to pass a flame over the top of each crème brûlée, 1- to 2-inches away from the surface of the custard, until the sugar has caramelized and melted into a glossy, crackling sheet and turned golden brown (how closely and how long you should torch your custards will depend on the strength of your blowtorch; watch the sugar carefully as you pass the torch over the surface of the custard to avoid scorching your crème brûlées). Alternatively, for a broiler method, see notes.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

5. Cool slightly for 1 to 2 minutes, then serve immediately.

   Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Notes 

Though it isn’t our recommended method, you can use your broiler to caramelize your crème brûlées if you don’t have a blowtorch. To do so, preheat your broiler, and set an oven rack 3 to 4 inches away from the flame. Top the surface of each custard with an even layer of raw sugar (about 2 teaspoons per ramekin) and broil until the sugar has melted, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye out, as broiler strength can vary quite a bit and the sugar may burn if left unattended.

Though I liked the results of using raw sugar more, opting for granulated sugar is lower-risk given its finer grain size and less likely to overbrown compared to already-brown raw sugar.

If you don’t have ramekins, you can bake the custard in a single 2-quart baking dish set in a larger baking dish with a hot water bath.

Why a Set of Ramekins Are My Kitchen’s True MVP

Special Equipment 

3-quart saucepan; whisk; six 4-ounce ramekins; blowtorch (recommended)

Make Ahead and Storage 

The custards can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated uncovered. Avoid caramelizing the sugar topping until you are ready to serve; after 20 minutes, the crisp sugar topping will soften and liquify.

• 4 cups heavy cream

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 8 egg yolks

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar, divided, for glazing

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine cream with vanilla bean and salt in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until surface begins to shimmer, about 5 minutes.

2. Beat egg yolks and granulated sugar with a wooden spoon in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly pour in hot cream mixture, stirring gently. Strain custard through a mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; skim off any bubbles.

3. Arrange 8 shallow 4 1/2-inch-wide ramekins in a roasting pan (see Note above). Slowly pour custard into ramekins, filling almost to top. Set roasting pan in center of oven and carefully pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake until custards are firm at the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center, about 1 hour.

4. Transfer ramekins to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

5. Preheat broiler to high. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and gently blot surfaces of custards to remove any condensation. Using a small sieve, sift 2 teaspoons of turbinado sugar over each custard in a thin, even layer, tilting ramekins as needed. Broil custards as close to heat as possible until sugar is evenly caramelized, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly until sugar hardens and serve at once.