Don't blow up
Stir egg yolk and sugar only smoothly. A lot of foam leads to blisters and an uneven surface instead of a silky cream.
French Recipe
Crème brûlée
Cream, vanilla and egg yolks are stirred into a quiet cream and gently sticky in flat moulds in the water bath. After complete cooling, fine sugar is slurred shortly before serving.
Total time
5 hr 10 min
Calories
430 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Vanilla cream with crisp caramel crust
The appeal of the crème brûlée lies in contrast between cool, silky cream and warm, brittle sugar crust. Air bubbles and too high heat would make the surface restless. Therefore, the mass is not beaten foamy and baked in the water bath only until the middle is still slightly shaking.
French Recipes
Recipe
Crème brûlée
Crème brûlée combines a smooth vanilla cream with a thin, freshly caramelized sugar crust that breaks audibly when spooning.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
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1
Drain vanilla cream
Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and scratch out the marker. Heat the mark, pod and cream slowly, but do not cook. Remove from the stove and let it rest for 10 minutes.
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2
Mix egg yolks
Mix the egg yolk, 75 g sugar and salt with a whisk of snow, without adding much air. Pour the warm cream slowly under constant stirring.
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3
Passing Cream
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring cup. Remove any foam from the surface and spread the cream over six flat, oven-resistant moulds.
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4
Bake in the water bath
Place the moulds in a deep shape and pour in so much hot water that they are about half in it. Bake at 150 °C top/bottom heat for 35 to 40 minutes. The middle should still shake slightly.
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5
Cool completely
Remove the mould from the water bath, let it cool to room temperature and then cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
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6
Caramelizing sugar
Dip the surface dry and sprinkle evenly thinly with the remaining sugar. Caramelize quickly with a kitchen burner until a amber crust is formed. Let it become firm for a minute and serve immediately.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Crème brûlée
Thin sugar layer
Too much sugar becomes bitter in places before everything melts. A thin, even layer caramelizes faster and breaks cleanly.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Leave two wide strips of organic orange peel together with the vanilla in the cream and remove before mixing.
Dissolve two teaspoons of soluble espresso powder in the warm cream. Reduce the amount of vanilla to half a pod.
Nutrition per serving
430kcal
28.0 gCarbohydrates
6.0 gProtein
33.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Crème brûlée
The edge is hardened, but the middle moves like soft jelly when shaken slightly. When cooled down, the cream becomes completely firm.
The hot water distributes the heat gently and evenly. Thus, the egg yolks become firm, without getting thin or dry at the edge.
The well-cooled moulds can be placed very briefly under a heavily preheated oven grill. Watch constantly so that the cream does not warm and the sugar does not become bitter.
The baked cream keeps covered for up to two days in the refrigerator. Caramelize sugar just before serving, otherwise the crust pulls moisture and becomes soft.
Usually the oven temperature was too high or the baking time too long. Also boiling hot cream can allow the egg yolk to coagulate occasionally when mixing.
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