Best Crème Brûlée Recip
This Le Cirque Classic Crème Brûlée recipe was the first I ever made and no other version has ever surpassed it! Martha Stewart featured this Classic Crème Brûlée recipe on one of her shows nearly 20 years ago. I had never even tasted crème brûlée, but it turned out to be a treasured family dessert!
I used my broiler to brulee the coarse sugar topping which transformed this vanilla custard into an extraordinary after-dinner treat. Cracking a spoon through the hardened sugar crust into the silky smooth custard revealed the two quintessential elements which made this Easy Creme Brulee recipe so famous.
Why You Should Make Le Cirque’s Crème Brûlée
Also known as Burnt Cream or Trinity Cream, crème brûlée is a rich, creamy custard topped with a thin, crisp layer of caramelized sugar. Since I started making this Classic Crème Brûlée at home, Bill will not order it from a restaurant menu. According to him, they always fall short. This is truly the quintessential crème brûlée recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
As mentioned above this French phrase translates to Burnt Cream. The accent marks may be confusing when trying to figure out how to say the name of this dessert. It’s krehm-broo-LAY.
Yes, this is what makes creme brulee an excellent recipe for entertaining. PRO-Tip: The custards can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just cover with plastic wrap. Sprinkle with sugar and torch before serving.
PRO-Tip: Using a Creme Brulee Torch or Kitchen Torch (affiliate link)is the preferred method for melting the sugar on top of your custards.
But in a pinch, the broiler will work. Just place your Crème Brûlée on a sheet pan and broil about 4 inches from the element. Watch very carefully so your sugar does not burn. You may need to line up your ramekins so they’re directly beneath a heat source.
Tips for Making the Crème Brûlée:
Once you make this creme brulee recipe, it will be a frequent flyer when it comes to dessert. Perfect for company, holidays or whenever you want to treat your family to a fabulous dessert. Here are some tips for making the perfect creme brulee.
Crème Brûlée Equipment
Straining the Custard
Caramelizing the Sugar Topping
Serving Your Crème Brûlée
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Recipes to Use Up Extra Egg Whites:
After making this creme brulee recipe, you’ll be left with 7 egg whites. Don’t toss them, but instead save them for one of these recipes featuring leftover egg whites.
More Crème Brûlée Inspired Recipes You’ll Love:
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is Copycat Recipes, and our host is Karen who blogs at Karen’s Kitchen Stories If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious copycat-inspired dishes!
CopyCat Recipes
Beverage
Appetizer
Bread
Main Courses
Side Dish
Desserts
This recipe was last shared in 2018. The text was updated in 2021.
The Recipe: Classic Crème Brûlée
A creamy vanilla custard topped with a crisp "burnt" sugar topping
Ingredients
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, slit in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 7 large egg yolks
- Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º.
- In a saucepan, heat cream, vanilla pod, vanilla seeds, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally, till bubbles form around perimeter. Do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Whisk eggs in large glass measuring cup (or bowl). Temper yolks by adding a small amount of hot cream to the yolks while whisking. Repeat a few more times, making sure to add the cream mixture very slowly and to keep whisking so yolks do not cook. Pour tempered yolks back into pan and whisk till smooth. Strain the mixture into large measuring cup (you may reuse the cup utilized for tempering) to remove vanilla pod, seeds and any bits of cooked yolk.
- Place nine 8 ounce ramekins in roasting pan. Fill the ramekins to the top with custard. Carefully place pan in the oven, and pour enough hot water in roasting pan to come halfway up ramekins. Bake until custard is set and jiggles slightly when shaken, about 50 minutes.
- Remove from water bath and let cool a half hour or so. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, sprinkle with turbinado sugar and use a kitchen torch to caramelize. In a pinch, you can also place under the broiler (about 4 inches from the element) and broil until sugar is melted. Watch VERY carefully.
- Place on small plate to serve.
- I used shallow ramekins and baked for about 40 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1 creme bruleeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 488Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 285mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 8g
