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Very few desserts are more delicious to eat and to look at. Translated from the French, this popular dessert means "burnt cream," referring to the caramelized finish. A classic finale to a meal, creme brulee can be served slightly warm or chilled.
This is one of my favorite desserts to serve at my dinner parties.
Perfect
Crème Brulee Recipe
Recipe Type:
Dessert,
Puddings &
Custards
Yields:
6 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients:
6
egg yolks, chilled
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups
whipping cream, chilled
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to
center position. Butter six (1/2 cup) custard cups or ramekins and set them into a glass baking dish.
If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper
to ensure an even temperature on the bottom.
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly
thickened. Add sugar and mix until dissolved; mix in cream, then pour mixture into
prepared custard cups. Bring the water for the water bath
to a light simmer on top of the
stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the
custard cups. NOTE: The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting
enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard
inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.
Definition of Water Bath or Bain-Marie
(bahn
mah-REE) -
A hot water
bath or bain-marie are used to cook custards and baked eggs in the oven without
curdling or cracking, and also used to hold sauces and to clarify
butter. Water baths
are most often used for egg-based dishes.
The proteins in the eggs are very
heat sensitive and only need to be warmed to cook thoroughly.
They will start to get firm at only 145 degrees. Cooking them
with a slow, gentle heat keeps the eggs soft and smooth.
Variation:
If you don't have ramekins or custard cups, crème brulee can be baked in a
casserole or baking dish. Follow the above recipe, but instead pour the
custard directly into a 1 1/2-quart casserole or a 11- by 7-inch baking
dish. Custard should reach about 2/3 up sides of pan and have a depth of 1
to 1 1/4 inches. Increase the cooking time by approximately 10 minutes.
Bake approximately 30 to 40 minutes
(25 to 30 minutes for shallow fluted dishes) or until set around
the edges but still loose in the center. The cooking time will depend largely on the size
of the custard cup you are using, but begin checking at a half hour and check back
regularly. When the center of the custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when
shaken, that's when you can remove it from the oven.
If using a
digital instant-read thermometer,
inserted in the centers, it should register 170 to 175 degrees F. Begin
checking temperature about 5 minutes before recommended time.
 This
is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and
use in my cooking.
I get many readers
asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my
cooking and baking. I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer
shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed
for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen
Thermometer is used by
chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent
thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click
on the underlined:
Thermapen Thermometer.
Remove from oven and leave in the water bath
until cooled to room temperature. Remove cups from water bath, cover with plastic wrap,
and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
 When ready to serve, uncover
ramekins. If condensation has collected on the custards, place paper towel
on surface to soak up moisture. Sprinkle approximately 1 to 2
teaspoons of sugar over each crème brulee (tilt and tap ramekins for even
coverage). For best results, use a small hand-held
torch. Hold the torch 4 to 5 inches from the sugar, maintaining a slow and even motion. Stop
torching just before the desired degree of doneness is reached, as the sugar will continue
to cook for a few seconds after flame has been removed.
If you don't have a torch, place
crème brulees 6 inches below the broiler for 4 to 6 minutes or until sugar bubbles and
turns golden brown.
Refrigerate crème brulees at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve
within 1 hour (30 to 45 minutes), as topping will deteriorate.
Makes 6 servings (depending on size of custard cups).
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