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Creamy French Crème Brûlée Recipe with Perfect Caramelized Crust Tips

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A classic French dessert featuring a silky custard base topped with a perfectly caramelized sugar crust. This recipe is approachable for home cooks and delivers a luxurious treat every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 whole vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks (about 100 g)
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar for custard, plus extra for topping
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
  2. Pour the 2 cups heavy cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the cream. Warm over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk 5 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and a pinch of salt gently until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Avoid vigorous whisking.
  4. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream and slowly pour the warm cream into the yolk mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Pour the custard evenly into 4 to 6 ramekins, filling about 3/4 full.
  6. Place ramekins in a deep baking dish and pour hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins to create a water bath.
  7. Bake for 35–40 minutes until edges are set but the center jiggles slightly. Check doneness with a toothpick; it should come out mostly clean.
  8. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
  9. Before serving, sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons granulated sugar evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and crisp. Alternatively, use a broiler for 2–3 minutes, watching closely.
  10. Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for a minute, then serve immediately.

Notes

Do not boil the cream to avoid grainy custard. Whisk gently to prevent air bubbles. Strain custard mixture for silky texture. Use a water bath to prevent cracking. Chill custard for at least 3 hours or overnight for best texture. Caramelize sugar carefully to avoid burning. Thin sugar layer caramelizes more evenly.

Nutrition

Keywords: crème brûlée, French dessert, caramelized sugar crust, creamy custard, vanilla bean, classic dessert

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