Go Back
creme brulee - robs little kitchen

Creme Brulee

The first printed recipe for a dessert called crème brûlée is from the 1691 edition of the French cookbook Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot, a cook at the Palace of Versailles. That version was a sweet custard of egg yolks and milk with a burnt sugar crust. It is similar to the modern versions.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Inactive 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine French

Equipment

  • kitchen blowtorch
  • 6 ramekins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 extra lg egg
  • 4 extra lg egg yolks
  • ½ cup sugar -  plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur - recommend: Grand Marnier
  • 6 raspberries - for serving, optional
  • 12 blueberries - for serving, optional
  • 12 small mint leaves - for serving, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and ½ cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined.
  • Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled.
  • With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.
  • Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
  • To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.
    This will take a bit of skill that you can easily learn. Hold the torch at a small distance from the sugar on top of the ramekin as you continually rotate it in your other hand to evenly heat. The sugar will start to melt and pearl, continue to evenly heat until the sugar begins to bubble, caramelize and turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and let harden.

Notes

WARNING: Propane gas torches are highly flammable and should be kept away from heat, open flame and prolonged exposure to sunlight. They should be used only in well-ventilated areas. Follow torch manufacturer's instructions for use.
Keyword berries, brulee, creme, custard, dessert, mint, sugar