Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert that may seem complicated, but fear not — with just a few basic ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you can create a dessert that rivals the fanciest French restaurant.
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Ingredients
- cream2
- whole vanilla bean1
- egg yolks6
- sugar½ cup
- salt¼ tbsp
01
Scald the Cream
Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer, then immediately remove from the heat. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; add both the seeds and the pod to the cream and let sit for 15 minutes.
02
Make the Custard Mixture
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine the eggs yolks, sugar, and salt.
Whisk until well combined and slightly pale, about 1 minute.
Over a medium bowl, strain the cream through a fine mesh strainer to remove any bits of the vanilla bean pod
Gradually pour the warm cream into the egg mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly.
03
Bake the Custards
Place 4 (8-ounce) custard dishes or ramekins into a large roasting pan. Pour the custard mixture into the dishes or ramekins. Pour enough hot water from the kettle into the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the custard dishes/ramekins.
Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the centers are just set.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs or a wide spatula, remove the custards from the roasting pan. Refrigerate for several hours and up to 3 days
04
Caramelize the Custards
Before serving, sprinkle each custard with 1½ to 2 teaspoons sugar, depending on the size of the custard dish. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar until it is deeply golden.
Alternatively, place the custard dishes on a baking sheet and broil 2 to 3 inches from the heat source for a few minutes, or until the sugar melts and browns
Serving the Crème Brûlée
Let sit for at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour before serving.