Crème Brûlée Recipe (the classic French "pudding" with a crunchy crust)

 Crème Brûlée Recipe (the classic French "pudding" with a crunchy crust)

Crème brûlée is a classic French dessert: a velvety and creamy base with a thin, crunchy layer of burnt caramel on top. Many describe it as an "upside-down pudding," as it doesn't have a liquid caramel sauce like traditional Brazilian pudding, but rather a hard crust that breaks with a spoon. It's sophisticated, but easy to make at home!

Yields: 6 individual servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes + cooking + refrigeration (minimum 4 hours)

Ingredients:

500 ml fresh heavy cream (or high-fat whipping cream)

100 g sugar (for the cream) + extra for the crust (about 2 tablespoons per ramekin)

6 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract)

Pinch of salt (optional)

Preparation method:

Preheat the oven to 150-160°C. Prepare a deep baking dish for a bain-marie.

Cream infusion: In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream with the vanilla bean split in half (scrape out the seeds and add everything). Bring to a medium heat until almost boiling (do not let it boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bean.

Mix the egg yolks: In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until creamy and light (do not overbeat to avoid bubbles).

Temper the custard: Gradually add the hot custard to the egg yolks, stirring constantly to avoid cooking the eggs.

Strain and distribute: Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove foam or lumps. Divide into 6 ramekins (individual ovenproof dishes).

Bake in a water bath: Place the ramekins in the baking dish. Fill with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the center is firm but still slightly wobbly (like gelatin).

Cool and chill: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Make the crispy crust: When serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated (or refined) sugar over each custard. Use a culinary torch to caramelize the sugar until a golden, crispy crust forms. (No blowtorch? Place under a very hot oven rack for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.)

Tips:

For a more Brazilian version ("Pudim Brûlée"): Use condensed milk in the cream and unmold like a traditional pudding, caramelizing the sugar on top after unmolding.

Vary with orange zest, coffee, or chocolate in the cream.

If you don't have ramekins, use a single larger mold and bake for longer.