Crème Brûlée: Silky Vanilla Custard With a Crisp Caramelized Top

Crème Brûlée is one of those classic desserts that looks far more complicated than it actually is. Beneath its famously crisp caramelized sugar crust is a smooth, rich vanilla custard that requires only a few basic ingredients. The key to getting the perfect texture is gentle baking and careful attention to the custard as it sets.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35–40 minutes
Chill time: 3 hours
Total time: About 4 hours
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 large egg yolks
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean, if using. Heat gently until the cream is steaming but do not allow it to boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl until smooth and slightly lighter in color.

Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Adding the cream gradually prevents the eggs from scrambling. Strain the finished custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any small pieces of cooked egg or vanilla pod, then divide it evenly between four ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish and carefully pour hot water around them until it reaches roughly halfway up their sides. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the edges are set while the centers still have a gentle wobble. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle an even, thin layer of sugar over the surface of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it becomes deeply golden and crisp, moving the flame constantly to prevent burning. Allow the topping to cool for a minute before serving. The finished dessert should have a satisfying crack when you break through the caramelized surface into the cool, silky custard underneath.