With Valentine's Day around the corner, Crème Brûlée is one of the first desserts that comes to mind. This classic French dessert has become something everyone knows and loves. It might seem daunting to make at home, but trust me, it is so easy to make. With only a few simple ingredients, you can make a special dessert that is sure to impress your loved ones.
Make classic vanilla or change it up and make endless flavors to pair with any meal by infusing the cream with fruits, spices, herbs, sugars, flavorings, teas, coffee, chocolates, or liquors. Or simply just add different toppings!
Here are my secrets to the perfect Crème Brûlée:
- Mixing - It’s important to gently whisk the custard mixture to minimize air incorporation. Air bubbles are undesirable; when the bubbles pop during the cooking process they create a bumpy texture on the custard's surface. They can also cause the top to burn when torched due to the ridges left by the bubbles.
- Tempering - Tempering is an important technique because it prevents the eggs from scrambling by carefully introducing hot liquid to the egg mixture. This allows the eggs to gently get heated, resulting in a smooth, silky texture in your custard.
- Straining - After cooking custard, straining through a fine sieve removes any bits of egg that may not have been properly combined or any eggs that got over cooked and scrambled. Straining the mixture also removes some air bubbles. This ensures that the custard is as smooth as possible.
- Water Bath - Placing individual ramekins in a large baking dish with high sides (such as a roasting pan) filling the pan with hot water halfway up the side of the ramekins helps regulate the water temperature around the custard. This encourages a slow and steady coagulation of the eggs, which helps prevent curdling or over baking.
- Blow torch - Using a blow torch is essential to get the crunchy caramelized sugar on top. Using tools like a broiler will burn the sugar and get the custard too hot.
- Oven setting - When baking custard, it’s best to use the conventional setting on the oven. This will create a steady heat and help the custard set evenly. Using the convection setting, the air is circulating and can cause the custard to cook unevenly or develop an over-cooked top.
Crème Brûlée is meant to be served cold. Always make sure the custard is as cold as possible but not frozen before torching the sugar on top. If it's not cold enough, you’ll end up with soupy custard.
How to Know when the Custard is Done
The custard should be slightly jiggly when it is done cooking. When you gently tap the side of the ramekin, it should move all together. The edges should be set but the center should still be quivering. Remember, once it cools, it will fully set.
Here are some variations of Crème Brûlée you should try for Valentine's Day!
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Yield: 8 servings (small ramekins)
Active time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 3 hours
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean split and scraped or substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Granulated sugar for caramelizing
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F on the conventional setting.
2. Heat the heavy cream and vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until a film forms and tiny bubbles appear around the edges.
3. While the cream is heating, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a large mixing bowl until combined. Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg/sugar mixture while gently whisking.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl or large measuring cup.
5. Set ramekins into a baking dish with tall sides.
6. Pour the custard into individual ramekins, leaving about half inch at the top.
7. Add enough hot water to the baking dish so the water reaches halfway up the side of the ramekins. Be careful to not get any water in the custard.
8. Bake until the custard is set, but still slightly jiggly, about 25-30 minutes.
9. Remove the ramekins from the water bath, and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
10. Sprinkle the top of each Crème Brûlée with sugar. Using a blowtorch, torch the sugar until it melts and caramelizes. Allow the sugar to fully harden before serving.
Chocolate Crème Brûlée
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz semi sweet chocolate or chocolate of your choice
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Granulated sugar for caramelizing
Follow the instructions above, but once the cream is heated, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until melted and continue with the next steps of the recipe.
Coffee Crème Brûlée
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz coffee beans
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Granulated sugar for caramelizing
1. Steep coffee beans in the heavy cream overnight in the refrigerator. Strain coffee beans and continue on with all the steps of the initial recipe.
When infusing flavors into fats, I find cold steeping is the way to go. It allows the flavors to bind to the fat without them becoming overpowering or bitter.
The Chopping Block has only a few spots left in our Valentine’s Day classes this week. If you are looking for a lunchtime sushi date or have a desire to learn about all things chocolate, grab your spots before the classes are filled!
- Hands-On French Macarons Friday, February 14 11am Just one spot left!
- Hands-On Sushi Workshop Friday, February 14 11am
- Hands-On Family Valentine's Brunch Saturday, February 15 10am
- Hands-On Chocolate Boot Camp Saturday, February 15 10am Just one spot left!
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean split and scraped or substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Granulated sugar for caramelizing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F on the conventional setting.
- Heat the heavy cream and vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until a film forms and tiny bubbles appear around the edges.
- While the cream is heating, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a large mixing bowl until combined. Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg/sugar mixture while gently whisking.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl or large measuring cup.
- Set ramekins into a baking dish with tall sides.
- Pour the custard into individual ramekins, leaving about half inch at the top.
- Add enough hot water to the baking dish so the water reaches halfway up the side of the ramekins. Be careful to not get any water in the custard.
- Bake until the custard is set, but still slightly jiggly, about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the ramekins from the water bath, and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Sprinkle the top of each Crème Brûlée with sugar. Using a blowtorch, torch the sugar until it melts and caramelizes. Allow the sugar to fully harden before serving.
