This elegant restaurant quality vanilla bean creme brulee dessert is shockingly easy to make right in an average home kitchen with a few simple tricks. Serve as a special treat for a dinner party or Valentine's Day and let your loved ones torch their own caramelized sugar crust.
PREP TIME 20 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 30 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME 50 minutesminutes
YIELD 6servings
Ingredients
1large egg
4egg yolksSave the whites, see Notes
1/2cupsugar for the custard + 1 tablespoon for each finished ramekin
3cupsheavy whipping cream
2teaspoonsvanilla
1tablespoonGrand Marnier
Optional: 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Place 6 ramekins in 2 9x13-inch baking pans and set aside. Place a hot water kettle on to boil.
Add the egg and egg yolks to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together on low speed until just combined. Be sure to scrape the very bottom of the bowl to make sure no sugar collected at the base.
Scald the cream: Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir it constantly and cook until it is steaming heavily and just about to boil but be sure to remove it from the heat before the bubbles begins.
Temper the eggs: With the mixer running on low speed, carefully and slowly drizzle the scalded cream into the egg mixture by running it down the inside of the bowl. See photos for reference in post above.
Flavor the custard: Once all the cream has been incorporated, add the vanilla and Grand Marnier and stir to combine.
Prepare the ramekins: Use a measuring cup or ladle to neatly fill the ramekins with custard. By now, the kettle should be boiling. Carefully drizzle the hot water into the pans and fill them so the water comes up half way on the outside of each ramekin. Pour slowly so water doesn't splash into your prepared custards.
Bake the custards: Bake the custards for 35 - 40 minutes or until the custard just barely jiggles when you gently move the pans. A deeper, narrower ramekin will need more time to bake than a wider, shallower ramekin, so add time as needed.
Chill and Serve: Remove the ramekins from the water baths and let them cool to room temperature. Chill until firm and ready to serve. They can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. To serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each custard and smooth it over the top with the back of a small spoon. Use a cooking torch to caramelize the sugar on top until golden brown by waving the flame back and forth over the top. Serve with berries.
OPTIONAL: Vanilla BeanIf you want to make your creme brulee extra special, use a vanilla bean in place of 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Slice the bean in half lengthwise and scrape the vanilla bean seeds out with the back of your knife. Add the seeds to the heavy cream in the sauce pan and then drop in the vanilla bean pod, too.
Scald the cream as directed but remove the pod halves before pour the cream into the mixer bowl.
This will give your custard a wonderful fresh vanilla flavor and added visual appeal with the tiny vanilla bean flecks in the custard.
Recipe Notes
Leftover Egg Whites
With egg prices these days, don't let a single bit of your egg go to waste! If you add just one more egg white, you will have enough to make my Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting. It freezes extremely well so you can make it now and use it for a special dessert another time.You could also freeze the egg whites in an airtight container and plan to make my Lemon Meringue Tart with store-bought lemon curd to keep it easy.