Easy Crème Brûlée Recipe

I perfected an Easy Crème Brûlée made with just four ingredients, its silky custard and crisp caramelized top hiding a clever little trick you won’t expect.

I still can’t get over how a few minutes of prep turns into something that looks like it took hours. My Easy Crème Brûlée is simple yet sneaky, I use heavy cream and egg yolks to build a custard so silky it almost feels wrong.

Folks expect a chef when they taste it, not someone who barely broke a sweat, and then they keep poking that glassy top like they’re trying to figure out why it snaps. It’s the kind of dessert you’ll make to impress, or to hide, because once people know, they’ll always ask for it again.

Ingredients

Crème brûlée is a simple, elegant dessert thats creamy on the inside with a crackable caramel top.

It feels fancy but is actually straightforward, and relies mostly on fat and sugar so its a rich treat you might want to share.

• Heavy cream: Mostly fat, adds silky texture and richness, few carbs or protein.
• Egg yolks: Contain protein, healthy fats and vitamins, help custard set and thicken.
• Granulated sugar: Pure carbohydrates, used for sweetness and crunchy top, no fiber.
• Vanilla extract or bean: Adds aroma and flavor, negligible nutrients but boosts perceived sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar plus 4 to 6 tsp more for carmelizing the tops
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or half a vanilla bean, seeds scraped

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and set four 6-8 oz ramekins in a deep baking dish or roasting pan.

2. Pour 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream into a saucepan, add 1 tsp vanilla extract or the scraped seeds plus the pod if using a vanilla bean, then heat over medium until it just starts to steam and small bubbles form at the edges, dont let it boil. Remove from heat and if you used a bean pod, fish it out.

3. In a bowl whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar until the mixture is paler and a little thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Temper the yolks by slowly pouring about a third of the hot cream into the yolks while whisking constantly, then gradually whisk in the rest of the cream until smooth.

5. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a pouring jug or bowl to catch any cooked bits or vanilla pod pieces for an ultra smooth custard.

6. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins back in the baking dish and carefully pour hot water into the dish so it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins to make a water bath.

7. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still wobble slightly when you jiggle the ramekin, every oven is different so start checking at 25 minutes. Dont overbake, it will continue to firm as it cools.

8. Remove ramekins from the water bath, let cool to room temp, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture.

9. Just before serving sprinkle about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (use 4 to 6 tsp total for all tops as needed) evenly over each custard, then caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch until golden and glassy. If you dont have a torch, place under a very hot broiler 2 to 3 inches from the heat and watch like a hawk, or heat a metal spoon and press it onto the sugar to melt it.

10. Let the caramel harden for a minute or two, then tap with a spoon to hear that satisfying crack and serve. Tip: room temp eggs, straining, and not boiling the cream are the things that keep this silky.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 325°F / 160°C)
2. Four 6 to 8 oz ramekins
3. Deep baking dish or roasting pan for the water bath
4. Small saucepan for the cream
5. Mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Fine mesh sieve and a pouring jug or bowl for straining
8. Measuring cups and spoons
9. Kitchen torch (or very hot broiler / heated metal spoon as an alternative)

FAQ

Easy Crème Brûlée Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Heavy cream: swap for full fat coconut milk or coconut cream 1 to 1 for a dairy free version, it will taste a bit coconutty; or try a quick hack 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup melted butter per cup of cream, works in a pinch but it wont be quite as luxurious
• Egg yolks: no extra yolks? use 3 whole large eggs instead of 4 yolks, the custard will set firmer and be less silky; for a vegan route try about 1 cup blended silken tofu plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch to help it set, strain smooth before baking
• Granulated sugar: replace with caster or superfine sugar for a smoother top, use coconut sugar for a deeper toffee flavor, or a monk fruit erythritol blend for low sugar but know it wont caramelize exactly the same
• Vanilla: swap the extract for 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or use half a vanilla bean worth of seeds if you want the speckled look; or try 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or a little lemon zest if you want a different twist

Pro Tips

– Let the yolks sit at room temp for about 20 to 30 minutes before you start, it makes them blend smoother and lowers the chance of little cooked bits showing up in the custard, dont rush it.

– Infuse the cream off the heat for 10 to 15 minutes after it steams, then fish out the vanilla pod and strain everything through a fine sieve, that little wait and the straining make the texture silkier.

– When you temper the yolks go slow, use a ladle or a thin stream while whisking constantly, and if youre nervous use a digital thermometer to keep the custard under about 180 F so it wont scramble.

– For the sugar crust use an even, thin layer and torch in steady circular motions, start a bit higher and get closer as the sugar melts, let it rest a minute to fully harden before tapping so you get that clean crack.