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Creamy Creme Brulee Recipe Easy Homemade Crispy Caramelized Sugar Topping

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A rich and silky creme brulee with a perfectly crisp caramelized sugar topping, easy to make at home using simple ingredients and a water bath baking method.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar for custard
  • About 3 tablespoons (40 g) granulated sugar for caramelized topping
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Place a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
  2. In a medium saucepan, pour the heavy cream. Add the scraped vanilla bean seeds and the pod itself. Warm over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges, do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
  3. While cream is steeping, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl until pale and slightly thickened (about 3 minutes).
  4. Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove vanilla pod and any cooked bits.
  5. Divide the custard evenly among 4 to 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking dish.
  6. Pour boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins to create a water bath.
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until custards are set around edges but slightly jiggly in the center.
  8. Remove ramekins from water bath and discard water. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  9. Before serving, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until crispy and golden. Alternatively, use a broiler or hot metal spoon.
  10. Let caramelized sugar cool and harden for a minute or two, then serve immediately.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs for smooth blending. Do not boil cream, just heat gently. Strain custard for silky texture. Water bath is essential to prevent cracking and curdling. Chill custards for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture. Caramelize sugar topping just before serving to keep it crisp. If sugar topping softens too quickly, try finer sugar or a more focused torch flame.

Nutrition

Keywords: creme brulee, creamy dessert, caramelized sugar, vanilla custard, easy creme brulee, homemade dessert, classic French dessert

Find it online: https://katedishes.com/creamy-creme-brulee-recipe-easy-homemade-crispy-caramelized-sugar-topping/