My First Crème Brûlée Experience
Many many years ago when I first started falling in love with baking and cooking. I got a cook book (yes a real one with pages, 😆), that suggested how to make perfect date night dinners at home. For someone that loves to cook, it’s a fantastic idea, because you can truly eat fine dining food for a 1/4 of the price at home, *IF* you don’t mind the clean up.
In this cute little book it outlined how to make Crème Brûlée, and I went to the closest little kitchen store and purchased my first set of ramekins, and a blow torch to try it.
To be totally honest, while I have made Crème Brûlée many times over the years, I could probably count all the times on both hands, and I just don’t think that’s enough for how much joy it brings me, and also for the exuberant prices I’ve paid for it while out to eat. I had it on my agenda to make Creme Brûlée for months, and I just kept not doing it, and now that I’ve actually made it, I’m not sure why I put it off, it was honestly SO easy. The hardest part was waiting 4 hours for it to chill.
This Recipe Makes It Easy
There are a lot of recipes that overcomplicate this recipe in my opinion. I think it’s easy to get caught up in finding vanilla beans from Tahiti or boiling everything first that can make it unapproachable. So, this is the most stripped down version, and it turned out amazingly. With this recipe, I think you’ll find it can actually be easy to make Creme Brûlée at home. If you make it comment below and tell me about your experience.
Five Ingredient Crème Brûlée
Tools Needed:
- Six 4 oz Ramekins or how cute are these colorful ones
- 13X9 Pan
- Blowtorch or from Amazon
- Butane or cheaper at Walmart Butane (Make sure it’s high quality (triple processed if possible).
NOTE* I’ve tried a lighter (it doesn’t work), and broiling, which can work, but can also burn VERY easily. It’s worth investing in a torch, if you plan to make it again, if you don’t, the broiler will work fine, but watch it very carefully. Also the pudding will not be cold as traditionally served, but it’s still delish.
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or just a pinch will work fine.
Directions:
Add 4 egg yolks to 1/2 a cup of sugar and whisk til creamy. It will super lighten in color and be very fluffy looking.
-Add 2 cups of heavy whipping cream (whisking after each cup)
-2 tsps of vanilla
-1/8 tsp of salt and whisk all together
Pour the Crème into 6 ramekins that are placed inside a 13×9 pan. They should fit perfectly and snuggly.
Add steaming hot water to the 13X9 pan. About half way up the ramekins.
And bake at 325° for 45 minutes. Wait a few minutes for ramekins to cool a little and move them to the fridge.
Chill for 4 hours
Or up to 4 days in the fridge.
Last step:
Add 1 tsp of sugar to each ramekin, and swirl it around evenly, Then use a butane torch (links attached above if you need to buy one), to melt the sugar. This step is worth it, but see my notes above, if you don’t have a torch.
Step by Step Instructions for Creme Brûlée
How to Make this Super Easy Five Ingredient Crème Brûlée:
Prep your ramekins in a 13X9 baking dish.
Separate your egg whites from egg yolks. Mine weren’t completely at room temperature, but it does always help to bake with room temperature eggs when possible. I prepared mine in a large glass measuring cup, so it would be easier to pour.
Add then add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk til fluffy this was several minutes.
Incorporate the heavy whipping cream, one cup at a time, and then add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla and pinch of salt.
After you’ve whisked everything together, and it seems like the consistency is a beautiful creamy liquid it’s time to fill up the ramekins. I filled mine about 3/4 full each. Then add hot water to the pan, avoid getting water in the ramekins. This is done to give your little custard puddings a water bath. This prevents the custards from cracking.
Bake and Torch Time
Let them bake for 45 minutes at 325°. Some people will let them sit in the bath for additional 15 minutes after baking. I personally feel like real life prevails over baking, so do whatever works for you. I took the ramekins out, dumped out the water, but them back in the baking pan and then put them in the fridge. These should chill for least 4 hours, but are fine up to 5 days if covered. Once you are ready to use your butane torch to brûlée the sugar, plan to eat within 20 minutes. Classic Crème Brûlée is eaten with the pudding cold, and the sugar hard on top, if you wait too long, it will get softer, and not have the crack effect.
Please see my above notes for using the butane torch, versus broiling, if you don’t have a torch.
Whipping up this classic French custard is such a treat, and honestly this preparation is very easy to make this Creme Brûlée at home. The hardest part is waiting and having the right supplies. But I hope you treat yourself, because this is totally worth it. I have also subbed monk fruit sugar and made this recipe keto, its actually one of the most rewarding desserts I had when eating low carb in the past.
If you prefer videos, you can see the Reel of this process I made for Instagram.
I hope you enjoy these if you make this Crème Brûlée recipe at home. It’s the perfect dessert for Valentines, or a date at home, a Galentines Party or even for a little tea party, where everyone dresses up and gets to feel fancy. No matter why you make it. Bon appétit. ♥️
