Learn how to make this classic crème brûlée recipe by following 5 easy steps and some simple instructions. After a while you'll be enjoying the creamiest vanilla-flavored French dessert.

If you happen to have a sous vide, there's also a section with sous vide instructions.

Creme brulee in ramekins with crackly caramel topping.

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Ingredients
Instructions (5 easy steps)
Sous Vide Instrunctions
Variations
Storage
FAQ
📖 Recipe

What is creme Brulee?

Crème brûlée means burnt cream in French but it's also known as trinity cream (you can read more in this article: the origin of Crème brûlée). Sometimes it is confused with crema catalana but this Spanish dessert is made with milk and not heavy cream.

Creme brulee is a silky custard cream baked in the oven and it's usually served in individual ramekins. Just before serving, the surface of the cream is sprinkled with white sugar and then gets burned with a torch.

This process caramelizes the sugar, and complements the vanilla flavor with intense caramel notes creating a perfectly contrasting texture with the creamy custard.

For the best texture, you will have to bake the ramekins inside a baking pan which you will fill halfway through with hot water (water bath).

This velvety creme brulee may seem laborious but it's a very easy recipe. It sure is easier than making a cheesecake (or a Crème Brûlée Cheesecake - recipe from The Food Charlatan).

My advice is to get the best quality cream you can find and the best vanilla since these are the stars of the recipe.

Use a fresh vanilla pod, vanilla bean paste, the best pure vanilla extract or homemade vanilla sugar. Please don't use imitation vanilla for this recipe.

Ramekins with creme brulee with a cracked surface.

Ingredients

It's hard to believe that with just 5 simple ingredients you get a dessert this good, but it's true! These ingredients are:

Heavy cream (also known as heavy whipping cream)
Egg yolks
White sugar
Vanilla pod or vanilla extract
Salt

The cream should have 35% fat content.

The recipe will also work with half and half but you'll need to add one more yolk.

As for the leftover egg whites, you can freeze them for at least up to 6 months. The day before you plan to use them, transfer them in the refrigerator to thaw. Use them in omelettes, in this vanilla and white chocolate bundt cake or in these Italian almond cookies/amaretti.

Instructions (5 easy steps)

Once you see how easy it is to make this delicious dessert, you'll be making it almost every month, and not only for special occasions. The procedure can be broken down into these 5 simple steps:

Transfer the egg yolks, the sugar, the vanilla extract and the salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan and slowly add it to the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Transfer the custard mixture to the ramekins, place them inside a baking pan, fill it with hot water (water bath) and bake in a preheated oven.
When cooled, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
Just before serving, sprinkle the top of the custard with a tablespoon of sugar and burn it with a torch.

French creme brulee while burning the sugar with a torch to make the caramel layer.

Using the torch

You will get the best results by using a torch. Divide the surface of the custard into smaller parts and torch every part moving the flame back and forth in very narrow movements. When one part is caramelized, move to the next one.

Don't let the caramel stay just blond, you want some dark spots for that bittersweet taste which will balance the sweetness of the sugar.

Remember to caramelize the sugar just before serving because otherwise it can absorb moisture and become sticky and less crunchy.

If a single layer of caramel isn't enough, follow this simple trick for an extra thick sugar crust:

Sprinkle the top with an even layer of caster sugar and burn it with a brulee torch.
Repeat with another layer of sugar and burn it again.

Caramel layer without a torch

If you don't have a torch, there are a couple of different methods for making the caramel layer.

The first method is to use your oven grill: To protect the custard from cooking further, put the ramekins inside a baking pan and fill it halfway through with cold water. Sprinkle the tops with sugar and grill in the high rack of your oven until the sugar is caramelized.

The second method is to make the caramel in a saucepan and carefully pour it on top of the custard. This will probably give you a very thick layer of caramel which may be difficult to break (and you'll also need more sugar). You can watch this video for how to caramelize sugar in a pan.

If you're a fan of caramel, check the recipe for this mocha caramel and peanuts mousse cake (it's almost like a snickers bar but in the form of a cake).

A tray with two pots of vanilla creme brulee.

Sous Vide Instrunctions

Sous vide is a cooking method where you seal the food in an airtight bag and cook it in a water bath. With this method you have absolute control over the temperature, so you always get consistent results. This means that your food is always cooked at the desired level.

Making creme brulee in a sous vide is a foolproof method which will give you perfect results every time.

To make sous vide crème brulee you will need small mason jars (5-6 oz capacity) or any other jars that can seal airtight. Don't leave too much empty space inside the jars. Close the lids well but not very firmly.

Why? Because when you submerge the jars underwater you'll see some air-bubbles escaping from the inside. This is normal and it happens because the warm air is expanding inside the jar and it needs a way out or the jars may break.

Set the temperature at 176 °F (80 °C) and cook for 1 hour. Sous vide crème brulee will give you perfect results every time, even if you forget it inside the water bath for longer time.

Variations

Instead of vanilla you can flavor the custard base with orange/citrus zest, cinnamon and cloves, lavender, bergamot peel, dried rosebuds, tonka beans or coffee beans.

To infuse the custard with the flavor of your choice, you'll have to add the flavoring to the heavy cream, bring it to a boil, and let it infuse for 5-10 minutes.

Storage

Creme brulee is perfect as a make-ahead dessert because you can store it in the fridge and serve it the next day.

It will keep well for at least 4 days when it's refrigerated and wrapped with plastic wrap. Wait just before serving to sprinkle and burn the sugar, otherwise it can attract moisture.

FAQ

What ramekins - baking dish to use?

Traditionally, this classic french dessert is served in individual ramekins. However, you can also make it into porcelain coffee cups or small heatproof glass jars.

Most commonly 5-ounce (150 ml) or 6-ounce ramekins (180 ml) are used (you don't have to grease the sides of the ramekins).

The most important thing for the best texture is to fill them no more than 2 inches (5 cm) in height. If you fill them higher than that, you risk the chance your crème brulee to be under baked in the middle.

What is the best sugar for creme brulee?

The best sugar for the topping is white granulated sugar with caster sugar coming second best.

This type of sugar will caramelize quickly when burnt with the torch and will give the best results. Don't use brown sugar or other sugar alternatives because the result will not be the same.

What does creme brulee taste like?

The authentic recipe is made with vanilla. Because it contains cream and egg yolks it's basically a creamy vanilla custard. It actually tastes like the best vanilla ice cream but in the form of a custard. And that's not all.

The extra thing this classic french dessert has, which makes it amazing, is the burnt sugar topping. This crunchy caramel layer offers a complex bittersweet taste and creates a stunning presentation (especially if you torch the crème in front of your guests). Optionally, you can top it with fresh berries or sliced peaches.

Why my creme brulee tastes eggy?

This can happen when you over-bake it. If I had to choose between a slightly under-baked crème brulee and a slightly over-baked one, I would choose the first one. This is because the under-baked one will be more loose but still creamy, whereas the over-baked will be curdled and eggy tasting.

Fresh, good quality eggs will also help for the creme brulee to not taste eggy!

What wine pairs well with creme brulee?

The safest options are sweet white wines like a French Sauternes, a Greek Muscat, An Italian Moscato D' Asti or a German Riesling. The most adventurous can try a fortified wine such as Madeira, Port or Vinsanto.

Similar Recipes

📖 Recipe

Classic French Crème brûlée recipe (in 5 easy steps)

Makos

Learn how to make this classic crème brûlée recipe by following 5 easy steps and some simple instructions (plus a sous vide method).

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Dessert, Sweet

Cuisine French, gluten-free

Servings

Calories 437 kcal

Equipment

▢
6 5-ounce ramekins (or coffee cups / jars )

Ingredients

For the custard:

▢ 2 cups (480 g) heavy cream 35% fat
▢ 5 (80 g) egg yolks
▢ 0.5 cup (100 g) white sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod)
▢ pinch of salt

For the caramel topping:

▢ 6 tablespoons caster sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325 °F (160 °C) and set a pot with water over medium heat (for the water bath).
Transfer the egg yolks, the sugar, the vanilla extract and the salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Heat the cream until almost boiling and slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture whisking continuously until incorporated.
Divide the cream mixture between 6 ramekins (you don't want them to be full), place them inside a baking pan and fill the baking pan with boiling water about 1 ¾ inches deep (this is the water bath).
Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the surface of the cream is set and the middle is still jiggly.
Wait until the cream is cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge (at least 4 hours or overnight).
Just before serving, sprinkle each ramekin with 1 tablespoon sugar and burn it with a torch. Repeat this step for a double-layer sugar crust.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

The amount of sugar is enough to give the cream a nice taste without being overly sweet. If you like things sweeter, you can add a couple more tablespoons.
If you use real vanilla pod, cut it in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds and add them to cream before boiling it. If you use pure vanilla bean extract or paste, add it to the egg yolks. If you use vanilla sugar, you don't have to use additional vanilla flavoring.
Add the hot cream to the yolk mixture gradually, otherwise you risk cooking the yolks.
When pouring the cream into the ramekins, it's best to pass it through a fine sieve. It will catch any lumps from the yolks and will reduce any air-bubbles that may end up on the surface of the cream. Break any remaining bubbles with a toothpick. Don't fill the ramekins more than 2 inches in height.
Cooking time can vary depending on the size of the ramekins.

.Sous vide instructions:

For the sous vide, you don't have to heat the cream, but if you use a vanilla pod instead of vanilla extract, heating it will infuse the custard better. Use small mason jars (5-6 oz capacity) or any other jars that can seal airtight. Don't leave too much empty space inside the jars. The lids should be closed well but not very firmly. Cook at 176 °F (80 °C) for 1 hour.

Classic French Crème brûlée recipe (in 5 easy steps)

Ingredients