Heaven in a ramekin! Creme Brulee is my absolute, hands-down, all-time favorite dessert! Most people don’t know how easy it is to make – just four ingredients! Creme Brulee is a rich vanilla flavored custard base that is topped with a contrasting layer of hard (carmelized) sugar. It is fast and easy to make. You can whip it up in about 10 minutes and then into the oven for 60. It’s much easier than a homemade cake or pie, and your guests will be super impressed that you went through all that “trouble” to make them one of the most decadent desserts on Earth! Here’s how you make it:
These are the four ingredients you will need: Heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and a vanilla bean (or vanilla extract).
In a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, combine the cream, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and the vanilla bean and pulp over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar together. If you are using vanilla extract, add it to this egg/sugar mixture. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the hot cream mixture, whisk for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.Fill six 6 to 8 6 ounce custard cups with equal portions of the cream mixture. Place the cups in a deep baking dish large enough to accommodate them comfortably without touching.
Bake in the lower third of the oven until lightly golden brown and just set, about 1 hour.
When ready to serve, sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar (superfine works best, but regular table sugar will do) on top of each ramekin. Heat with the blowtorch (or broil in the oven) until the sugar browns and caramelizes. If broiling, return the ramekins to the refrigerator for about 5 to 6 minutes.
The Recipe:
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 8 teaspoons raw sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract)
- 8 large egg yolks
- In a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, combine the cream, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and the vanilla bean and pulp over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar.In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar together. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the hot cream mixture, whisk for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Let cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Fill six to eight 6-ounce custard cups with equal portions of the cream mixture. Place the cups in a deep baking dish large enough to accommodate them comfortably without touching.Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake in the lower third of the oven until lightly golden brown and just set, about 1 hour.Remove from the oven and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
- About 2 hours before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar on the top of each custard. One at a time, using a kitchen blowtorch, approach the sugar with the torch at a low angle until the inner blue flame is 1/4 inch above the surface and move the flame in a continuous motion over the surface until the sugar has caramelized. Or, preheat the broiler, sprinkle the sugar over the custards, and slide the dishes under the broiler. Broil until the sugar caramelizes, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and allow the custards to cool again. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
Heaven in a ramekin!
Recipe Source: Creme Brulee emerils.com