We had a craving for crème brûlée one day, and not having anywhere to go to have it, we decided to make it at home.
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (560 ml) 35% cream
- 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 egg yolks
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar, for the topping
Method
Heat the oven to 165°C (325°F).
Split the vanilla bean in half and heat it in a saucepan with the cream for 5 minutes, without boiling, to infuse. Scrape the seeds into the cream and discard the pod. If you’re using vanilla extract instead, add it to the hot cream.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Stir in the hot cream. Pour the mixture into four 180 ml (¾ cup) ramekins.
Set the ramekins in a baking dish and pour in hot water until it comes ¾ of the way up their sides. Bake until the custards are set at the edges with a slight wobble in the centre, about 40 minutes.
Let cool, then refrigerate until completely chilled. The plain custards keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Take the custards out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with the topping sugar and caramelize it quickly with a torch or crème brûlée iron, or under a very hot broiler. Serve right away; the crust goes soft and weeps within a few hours.
Variations
Irish cream
Replace ⅓ of the cream with Irish cream and cut the sugar in the custard in half.
Lemon
Add the zest of 2 lemons to the cold cream and warm them together. After blending the hot cream and egg yolks, add the juice of 1 lemon and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Amaretto
Add 2 tbsp Amaretto and ¼ tsp almond extract to the cream and warm them together. Garnish with lightly toasted slivered almonds, if you like.
Equipment
- Four 180 ml (¾ cup) ramekins or crème brûlée dishes
- Kitchen torch or crème brûlée iron (or a broiler)
Notes
- Cut the sugar in the custard a little for a less sweet version.