Classic Crème Brûlée
Hands-on time:
20 mins. to 30 mins.
Baking time:
28 mins. to 35 mins.
Total time:
1 hrs 48 mins. to 2 hrs 48 mins.
- 4
Ingredients
- 16 ounces heavy cream (or 8 ounces each half and half and heavy cream)
- 2 1/2 ounces sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 3/8 ounces sugar (Demerara or coarse white sparkling sugar work well)
Preparation
Step 1
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2) Our the cream into a 1-quart saucepan, and heat the cream just until it almost comes to a boil. Remove it from the heat.
3) Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until the sugar dissolves.
4) Add the hot cream a little at a time; mix well.
5) Stir in the vanilla bean paste.
6) Pour the custard through a fine sieve or strainer, and pour it into four heart molds, or 1/2-cup capacity ramekins about 2" tall.
7) Place the molds or ramekins in a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.
8) Bake until the custard is set but still a bit jiggly in the center, about 30 minutes.
9) Remove the dishes from the water and let cool completely. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or up to overnight; no need to cover.
10) To serve, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the custards. For easiest caramelizing, run a torch evenly over the tops of the custards until the sugar is a deep golden brown. Or caramelize the sugar by placing molds or ramekins under your oven's broiler; watch carefully, as a broiler element can turn sugar from browned to burned quickly.