Crème Brülée
 
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 quart heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 2 quarts hot water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  2. Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from heat, and let sit covered for 15 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and reserve for another use.
  3. In a bowl, whisk only ½ cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and they start to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Fill the ramekins as close to the edge as you can.
  4. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot/boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  5. Bake just until the crème brulée is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. The time taken will depend on the depth of your ramekins. Shallow dishes will cook the custard quicker, about 30 minutes. Taller dishes will require the custard to bake for 45- 50 minutes.
  6. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
  7. Remove the crème brulée from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining ½ cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
if using a kitchen torch:
  1. When ready to make the sugar crust, take the ramekins out of the refrigerator and dab their tops dry of any moisture or condensation.
  2. Sprinkle a fine layer of sugar over their tops. The key here is for the sugar layer to be of even thickness. Sprinkle the sugar then shake them back and forth to distribute the sugar evenly. Tap out any excess sugar; you should be able to almost see the custard through the thin layer of sugar.
  3. Move the top rack in your oven up as high as it will go. Place the ramekins in the oven on the top rack, and turn on the broiler. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, rotating them frequently so that they broil evenly. Take them out when they are golden brown and bubbling.
note:
  1. thekitchn.com article mentions that you can put an upside-down pie pan in the oven to raise the custard up even closer to the broiler. This can help speed the broiling process.
  2. Also, traditional crème brûlée is served cold. If you like it cold, place the ramekins back in the refrigerator for maximum 45 minutes. Any longer and the sugar crust may begin to soften. If, however, you like them lukewarm in the center you may serve them after the sugar has set (about 5 minutes).
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2013/11/24/creme-brulee/