Creme brulee is an egg custard, and every egg custard has the same ceiling: push it past roughly 180 degrees Fahrenheit and the proteins overcook, curdling into a grainy, weeping texture instead of staying silky. The safest gauge without a thermometer is the jiggle test, a properly baked custard wobbles gently across the whole surface like gelatin when the dish is nudged, with the very center looking slightly underset. It firms up fully as it cools.
The other half of the dish, the brittle sugar shell, depends on getting the sugar hot enough to caramelize before it burns, which is why a kitchen torch gives more control than a broiler: you can watch the sugar change color in real time and move the flame the instant it turns deep amber.
Creme Brulee
Serves 4. Prep 15 minutes, cook 35 minutes, chill 4 hours.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for the tops
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Warm the cream and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to steam, do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes, then discard the pod.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together until pale.
- Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly, this tempers the eggs so they don't scramble.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a pitcher, then divide among four ramekins set in a baking dish.
- Add hot water to the baking dish, halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers wobble gently as one unit when nudged, not liquid, but not fully firm either.
- Cool, then chill uncovered at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen torch until deep amber and brittle.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated for one of four servings, not lab verified.
| Calories | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 420 | 6 g | 22 g | 34 g | 0 g | 60 mg |
Tips and Variations
- Temper slowly: pouring the hot cream in too fast is the single most common cause of a scrambled custard, take at least 30 seconds to stream it in.
- No torch, use the broiler: works in a pinch, but watch it closely, a broiler caramelizes unevenly and can burn the sugar fast.
- Espresso variation: steep a tablespoon of espresso grounds with the vanilla for a coffee-flavored custard, strain well.
- Torch right before serving: the caramel shell softens within about ten minutes, so time it as close to serving as you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my custard grainy?
It overheated, either the cream boiled, or the hot cream was poured into the eggs too fast. Warm the cream gently and temper slowly.
Why won't my sugar topping harden into a shell?
The sugar layer was likely too thick or uneven. A thin, even coating caramelizes and hardens more reliably than a heavy one.
Can I make the custards ahead?
Yes, bake and chill up to two days ahead, then torch the sugar shell right before serving so it stays crisp.
Do I need a water bath?
Yes, it insulates the custard from direct oven heat, without it the edges overcook well before the center sets.
Tools for the Job
Getting the custard out of the oven at exactly the right moment depends on knowing the real internal temperature, not a guess.
- Waterproof Digital Kitchen Thermometer with LCD for confirming the custard's internal temperature
- Baking Dessert and Pastry Essentials
More Baking and Dessert Recipes
These publish together as a set. The full hub lists all twenty in one place at Baking and Dessert Recipes.
Who Is Writing This
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
If a recipe is missing something you needed, or a step didn't make sense, tell me. Get in touch and I'll fix it.
Cook Bolder, Serve Wiser, Eat Better.