Make any night decadent and indulgent with Easy Creme Brulee! This dessert tastes like it’s from a restaurant but is easily made at home!
Every night will feel like the most special occasion with beautifully homemade Easy Creme Brulee! Eggs, sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream are all you need to create this classic and much-loved dessert. Plus you finally get to use that kitchen torch you’ve been dreaming to fire up!
Dream Date
Is there anything more romantic than sharing a beautiful creme brulee with the person you’re sweet on? Even after many years together, it’s still one of our favorite desserts to share and once I learned how easy it was to make creme brulee, you can believe that it is served at all of our special occasions! All I have to do is a little whisking and the oven does the rest of the work. Plus, I get to use my awesome kitchen torch to sweetly caramelize some sugar, so it’s a huge win since I’m always dying to use it!
Start the evening strong with a gorgeous appetizer of Apricot, Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Crostini, followed by an unforgettable dish of Lobster Alfredo!
Other Recipes to Serve with Easy Creme Brulee
- Picking the perfect drink for your perfect evening is deliciously easy when you choose the beautiful Saint Champagne Cocktail!
- Raspberry Lemonade Sorbet is full of refreshingly light summer fruit and an excellent decadent dessert partner.
Ingredients
Refrigerated Items: To make this easy creme brulee, you will need heavy cream and egg yolks. If you’d like, you can hang on to the egg whites to use in a different recipe!
Pantry Items: Granulated sugar will be used to make the dessert, but you will also need more to caramelize on top. You will need a little vanilla extract as well.
How to Make Easy Creme Brulee
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using a medium bowl, mix the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla and then microwave for 2 minutes.
STEP TWO: Beat the egg yolks for a few minutes until smooth, and then add the egg yolks to the cream mixture, mixing well. Pour the cream mixture into the ramekins and set the ramekins into a 9×13 cake pan. Fill the cake pan with almost boiling water, ensuring the water comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekin dishes.
STEP THREE: Bake the creme brulee for one hour and 35 minutes but begin checking to see if the custard is done after 1 hour and 10 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife into the center of a dish, and if the knife comes out clean, the desserts are done. Once out of the oven, move the ramekins from the cake pan to the counter and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes. When the creme brulee is cool it can be moved to the fridge to chill overnight.
STEP FOUR: Before serving the creme brulee the next day, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top, covering the top completely. Using a kitchen torch, melt and caramelize the sugar until the sugar has hardened and browned.
Tips for Success
- Don’t fret if you don’t have a torch. Instead, you can place the creme brulee ramekins under the broiler for a few minutes until the sugar has caramelized. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
- When choosing your ramekin dishes, if you don’t already have some, you will find many options. Some dishes are shallow, while some are wider and deeper. You can choose any style you like based on how you prepare your custard desserts.
- The water bath is important in the cooking process when making creme brulee. So if a cake pan is too shallow and the water doesn’t come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, try using a deeper pan such as a roasting pan.
Is creme brulee just custard?
You will find a variety of custard desserts across the globe, with creme brulee being one of the most popular. The heart of this dish is a vanilla-flavored custard, but the caramelized sugar that must be cracked through sets this classic dessert apart from other custards. Flan, another popular custard dessert, is made similarly in a water bath but then poured into ramekins coated with caramel. While many desserts come close to creme brulee, none have the iconic hardened sugar topping we all love!
Do you eat creme brulee hot or cold?
Traditionally, creme brulee is eaten cold. Many people prefer to place the creme brulee back in the fridge after torching the sugar on top to allow the dessert to become cold again before serving. Once cooked, the custard can be eaten warm or cold, depending on how you like your creme brulee.
More head-turning desserts to impress with!
- Magic Custard Cake
- Easy Cream Puffs Recipe
- Deconstructed Apple Pie Ala Mode
- Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Mini Raspberry Mousse Cakes
*This post was originally posted on 02/16/2013.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
- Mint for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Mix together the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a microwavable bowl. Then heat for 2 minutes in the microwave. Remove and set aside.
- Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir the yolks into the cream mixture.
- Divide the custard mixture evenly between four 6-ounce ramekins. Place the ramekins in a 9×13 baking pan.
- Heat some water in a saucepan, not quite to the boiling point. Then pour the hot water into the baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins creating a water bath.
- Bake for 1 hour and 35 minutes. Start checking the custard at about the 1 hour and 10-minute mark. If they need to cook longer, continue to check every 10 minutes. You'll know they're done when you can stick a knife in one, and it comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking pan. Set them on the counter, and let them cool for 15 minutes. Then transfer the ramekins to the fridge to chill overnight (at least 8 hours).
- The next day, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top of each custard. Make sure it's a THIN layer that completely covers the custard.
- Use a kitchen torch to brûlée the entire top of the dessert until the sugar caramelizes into a hard layer sheet on top of the custard. (see note)
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh raspberries and some mint if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have a torch, you can put them under the broiler for a minute or so, just keep an eye on the sugar so it doesn’t burn.
- If you want a thicker sugar crust, you can add another thin layer of sugar and brûlée it again. Just know that the edges may start to burn more than caramelize.
Lovefoodies says
Hi Stacey, I saw your recipe via FB and had to come over! I was given a brulee torch for Christmas and I’ve been looking for a quick recipe, love the fact you can just heat the cream etc in the microwave (1 less pan to wash up!!!) Will be giving this a go in the next couple of weeks…can’t wait as it’s also a favourite in teh Lovefoodies house too 🙂
Stacey says
Thank you Lovefoodies! I can’t believe I took so long to use my torch. Let us know what you think when you try it!
Betty says
Using a butane long handled lighter also serves as an inexpensive torch 😉
Diana Rambles says
YUMMY! I love Creme Brulee!
Cynthia L. says
I am not sure where to start commenting! I think it is funny that your husband said to blog about it. I think it is great that he supports you like that. My family is the same way. I have wanted one of those torches, but now I don’t need one! I never thought to put it under the broiler!
Forgive me for taking so long to come and thank you for linking up to the In and Out of the Kitchen party. I have been on vacation and am playing catch up!
I look forward to seeing what you bring to the party next week!
Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com
Wendy says
Creme brulee is the best. It is relatively easy to make and tastes like heaven:) I think if a serving size is 1 bowl then you get to choose the size of the bowl 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Stacey says
Thank you Wendy! I agree, a bowl is a bowl, no matter what size! 🙂
Kathy Penney @ Sparkles And A Stove says
You had me at creme brulee! My favorite dessert. Looks delicious!
Stacey says
Thank you Kathy! It is super delicious!
Bama Girl says
Hi Stacey The cream brulee sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!
Stacey says
Thank you Bama Girl! We love this dessert!