Description

This classic French Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée is a rich and creamy baked custard dessert topped with a crisp, caramelized sugar crust. Made with aromatic vanilla bean-infused heavy cream, egg yolks, and a touch of sugar, it is baked in a water bath for a silky smooth texture and finished with a perfect crunchy brûlée topping using a kitchen torch.

Ingredients

Custard

2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for topping)
Pinch of salt

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Cream: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean, adding the pod as well for extra flavor. Heat just until steaming, not boiling. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
Whisk Egg Mixture: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pale.
Combine Cream and Eggs: Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Strain the combined custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any solids or vanilla pod pieces.
Fill Ramekins: Divide the custard evenly among 4 to 6 ramekins.
Prepare Water Bath and Bake: Place the ramekins in a large baking dish. Pour hot water into the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins to create a water bath. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
Cool and Chill: Remove ramekins from the water bath and let them cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until fully chilled.
Caramelize Sugar Topping: Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden, crisp crust. Let the brûlée sit for 1–2 minutes to harden before serving.

Notes

You can use pure vanilla extract if you don’t have a vanilla bean—add it after heating the cream.
Crème brûlée is best served the same day you torch the sugar to maintain optimal crunch.