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This creme brûlée is a simple but elegant dessert that will impress all of your guests! You just can’t beat a creamy custard topped with caramelized sugar and delicious fresh fruit!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This truly is a simple recipe to make. It only takes about 10 minutes of prep time! It’s easier than you think.
- Beautiful: This creme brûlée makes the perfect dessert for serving to guests. They’ll be wowed by its presentation!
- Flavor: This creamy custard paired with ripe berries is to die for! Similar to the fantastic pairings in my buckeye brownies and my blueberry lemon upside-down cake.
A Reader’s Review
This recipe is the BEST. I have used it several times and it has never failed me! This recipe is crowd-pleaser. With so few ingredients it can be made pretty cheap. I definitely recommend this life changing recipe!
Ingredients You Need to Make Crème Brûlée
You only need FOUR ingredients to make this! Don’t let its presentation scare you. Anyone can make this! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a list of exact measurements.
- Heavy cream: Gives the custard a creamy richness.
- Egg yolks: Using only egg yolks helps get that creamy texture. If you used whole eggs (including the egg whites), then it would be too firm and set.
- Granulated sugar: Used to make the custard sweet and used to make the caramelized topping.
- Vanilla: Adds a warm, aromatic flavor.
How do you make Creme Brûlée?
If you follow these directions closely, your creme brûlée will turn out perfectly! Your guests will be complimenting you all night long!
- Heat cream: In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling — small bubbles will appear just along the edge of the pot.
- Whisk: Whisk together egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla — I like to do this in a large glass measuring cup for easy pouring!
- Combine: When the cream is hot, add it to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Pour: Pour into 4 7-8oz ramekins (wider and shallower is better if you have them).
- Add to water bath: Place filled ramekins in a large baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ramekins — be careful not to get any water in the custard!
- Bake: Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-45 minutes, depending on how deep the custard is! (smaller ramekins mean a deeper custard = longer bake time) The top will appear set, but underneath, it will still jiggle.
- Cool and chill: Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled. (You can wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days).
- Add sugar and torch: Sprinkle each custard with one tablespoon of granulated sugar and torch or broil just until caramelized. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
How Do I Get a Crisp, Caramelized Topping on Creme Brûlée?
There are two ways to caramelize your sugar on creme brûlée! Here are a few suggestions.
- Broil: You can set the creme brûlée on a baking sheet in the oven and broil for a few minutes.
- Torch: You can use a kitchen torch to torch the sugar for a nice, even brown top! A kitchen torch is generally preferred because it won’t heat the custard as much as the oven, but don’t be afraid to make creme brûlée if you don’t have one!
Make Ahead and Leftover Instructions
- How to Store Leftovers? If you have leftovers from this creme brûlée, then you can totally save it for later! Wrap each ramekin with plastic wrap and place them in your fridge. They will last up to 3 days!
- How Far in Advance Can I Make This? You can bake your creme brûlée, chill completely, then wrap and store for a few hours or up to 3 days before finishing and serving. When you are ready to serve it, add the sugar and torch it right then so it looks and tastes perfectly fresh!
More Amazing Dessert Recipes to Try
If you are feeling confident now that you have conquered creme brûlée, then it’s time to try a few more desserts! I’ve rounded up a few of my very favorites that you and your entire family will love! They are simple enough to make but look impressive enough that your guests will wonder if you are a professional baker! Enjoy!
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Easy Creme Brûlée
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (1/4 if you prefer less sweet)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot, heat cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling — small bubbles will appear just along the edge of the pot.
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla — I like to do this in a large glass measuring cup for easy pouring!
- When the cream is hot, add it to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Pour into 4, 7-8 ounce ramekins, (wider and shallower is better if you have them).
- Place filled ramekins in a large baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to get any water in the custard!
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-45 minutes. This will depend on how deep the custard is! (Smaller ramekins, deeper custard = longer bake time) The top will appear set but underneath it will still jiggle.
- Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled. (You can wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days).
- Sprinkle each custard with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and torch or broil just until caramelized. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your videos barely get started, then an ad pops up; & when it returns, it’s an entirely different video. What’s up with that? I’d like to see an entire recipe video.
This looks like the best recipe I have seen so far so – Thanks! I was on a cruise through Eastern Europe and at 3 day stop, the hotel served Creme Brulee with a large curl of Chocolate Ganache on top – it was mind blowing!! Took my favorite dessert to amazing new heights!
This was the first time I made Creme Brulee as I had never found an easy recipe. This recipe is FANTASTIC and the results were even better. I served it to guests and they could stop saying “yum” as they were eating it. One guest commented, “this is better than I have had in most restaurants!” However I do need a little practice with the torch, but it still came out great!
Can I double this recipe
Sure!
I need to serve 12 ppl for Easter, can I triple this recipe and bake in a soufflé dish or mold? Jill
This is the easiest creme brulee recipe yet. So good! And so decadently fattening! One point I’d like to add – is to wait to do burnt sugar top until just before serving because it will get soggy if refrigerated after burning. It takes no time to sprinkle a little sugar over top & quickly burn with a torch. It makes a great presentation if done at the table & the top is so crispy & crackly, which is just the way you want it! You can always add more sugar & burn again for the sugar lovers in your group!
I left out 1/4 cup of heavy cream and substituted 1/4 cup of Jackson Morgan Salted Caramel Liqueur instead, along with a pinch of nutmeg — wonderful!
What a great idea! Nutmeg is delicious in everything 🙂
I left out 1/4 cuo of the cream and substituted 1/4 cup of Jackson Morgan Salted Carame Liqueur – delicious!!!!!!!
This was honestly so easy and so good!!! I didn’t have ramekins and used regular bowls (same sort of ceramic as ramekins) and that seemed to work just as well!!
Can I use Splenda in the custard so it’s sweet but diabetic friendly?
I haven’t tried that before but it should work. Let me know how it turns out!
Can I use half and half cream?
That should work!
What torch would you recommend.
This one is a good one! Creme Brulee Torch
This recipe is the BEST. I have used it several times and it has never failed me! This recipe is crowd-pleaser. With so few ingredients it can be made pretty cheap. I definitely recommend this life changing recipe!
I substitued the 1tsp of vanilla for 1\2 tsp of both vanilla and lemon! Delicious
can you put a teaspoon of pumpkin spice instead of the vanilla?
Yes, that will be a fun fall dessert!
few but nice ingredients is the key 🙂 It looks delicious!
thank you, appreciate how few ingredients there are in this, would’ve expected a lot more
Hello.
If I am using a deeper ramekin how much longer would be the cooking time? How would you test if the custard is cooked thoroughly?
Thank you