Crème Brûlée

The platonic French custard — silky vanilla-bean cream under a glassy sheet of torched caramel that shatters on the spoon.

Prep 15 min Cook 50 min Cuisine French Servings 6 frenchdessertcustardmake-aheadvanillaelegant

Cook Step-by-step view, screen stays on, tap times to set timers

Shopping list

2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise, seeds scraped; or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar (for the custard)
6 tbsp granulated sugar (for the caramel tops, divided)
1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Heat the oven and prep the ramekins. Heat oven to 325°F. Place six 4- to 6-oz shallow ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the bain-marie.
Infuse the cream. Combine heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and seeds, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium until small bubbles appear at the edges and steam rises, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; let steep 10 minutes. Discard the pod (or rinse, dry, and reuse to make vanilla sugar).
Whisk the yolks. In a bowl, whisk yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thickened, about 1 minute. Do not overbeat or you'll incorporate air bubbles into the custard.
Temper the yolks. Slowly drizzle the warm cream into the yolks while whisking constantly — pour in a thin stream so the eggs don't scramble. If using vanilla extract, whisk it in now.
Strain and fill. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout. Skim off any foam. Divide evenly among the ramekins.
Bake in a water bath. Pour the boiled water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake 35-45 minutes — the custards should be set at the edges but still wobble slightly in the center when nudged. Internal temp ~170°F.
Chill thoroughly. Lift ramekins from the water bath and cool on a rack 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Caramelize the tops. Just before serving, blot any condensation from the custard surfaces. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar evenly over each ramekin, tilting to coat. Use a kitchen torch in slow, sweeping passes until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns deep amber. Let the caramel set 1-2 minutes before serving.

Equipment

Six 4- to 6-oz shallow ramekins (shallow = better custard-to-caramel ratio)
Deep roasting pan large enough to hold all ramekins
Fine-mesh sieve
Kitchen torch (broiler works in a pinch but is far less precise)

Notes

Vanilla bean is worth it here — the dish is mostly cream and sugar, so the vanilla character carries everything. Madagascar (Bourbon) is the classic; Tahitian is more floral.
The water bath is non-negotiable. It moderates heat so the custard sets gently without curdling. Boiling water (not warm) starts the cook immediately and keeps temps even.
Doneness cue: a 2-3 inch jiggle in the center is correct. If it’s flat and still, it’s overcooked. The custard firms further as it chills.
Caramel tops must be done just before serving — they stay glassy for ~30 minutes, then start to weep and soften from the cold custard underneath.
Make-ahead: the custards keep covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Caramelize day-of only.
Wine pairing: Sauternes, Tokaji Aszú, or a late-harvest Riesling.