Crème brûlée is a classic at home when I have guests.
Make it the night before and take it out of the fridge just before serving.
Burn off the sugar, garnish with berries and mint and serve.
Tips and variations
- Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy before adding the cream for the smoothest texture.
- Bake in a water bath (bain-marie) for gentle even heat that prevents the eggs from curdling unevenly.
- Make the custards the night before serving. They improve with an overnight rest in the refrigerator.
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🍷 Wine pairing
Sauternes: The classic match for crème brülée. This sweet, honeyed wine from Bordeaux mirrors the dessert richness without overwhelming it, while the wine natural acidity keeps everything balanced and fresh. Look for a bottle from the Barsac appellation.
Alternative: A Monbazillac from Dordogne offers the same lush sweetness at a friendlier price.
Crème brûlée
Ingredients
Method
- Slowly boil the cream and vanilla bean. Stir together egg yolks and sugar until the mixture forms a band and has turned pale yellow. Beat the cream mixture in the egg yolks in a thin stream while stirring vigorously (this so that the egg yolks do not coagulate). Divide this into 4 bowls. Bake in an oven at 175 degrees for 30 minutes or until stiff. Try with a skewer or match, if nothing is stuck on the needle they are done.
- If the molds are high (3-4cm), you can reduce the baking time to get a creamy consistency in the middle, this is seen if you try with the baking needle in the middle and it is stuck a bit.
- You can make Crème Brûlée the day before, and then you only need to have brown sugar on and caramelise it in the oven under the grill or use a ski burner before dinner
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQ
Creme brulee cracks if the oven temperature is too high or the water bath boils vigorously. Use 150 degrees Celsius and keep the water hot but not boiling.
Without the caramelized sugar topping it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Caramelize the sugar just before serving for the best result.
Use regular caster sugar or superfine sugar. Sprinkle a thin even layer and torch in circular motions until you get a uniform golden caramel surface.