Easy Creme Brulee
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This 4 ingredient Easy Creme Brulee is a super rich and creamy custard recipe that is topped with a thin layer of crisp sugary caramel that is so fun to crack with a spoon, then you get to devour it! Ohhhh…it’s soooo good and so much fun!
From then on, each bite is a combo of crunchy topping and smooth custard. Enjoy even more stunning custard desserts like this Easy Sugar Cream Pie, Chocolate Heaven Magic Custard Cake and this Easy Apple Bread Pudding!
This elegant, crowd-pleasing dessert is amazing served chilled and the perfect after dinner dessert when you want to impress a small gathering of friends or go all out for the holidays!
What is Creme Brûlée?
Creme brûlée is made of egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla! That’s it! 4 ingredients of bliss!
Creme Brûlée is a dessert made up of a rich custard base topped with a crackled shell of burnt sugar, easily made with egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla! It’s normally served chilled and is warmed slightly with the creme Brûlée torch
My favorite part is the sugary caramel topping and tapping it with the spoon! It adds a slight burnt sugar flavor and crunch to the light and creamy custard that is so heavenly! OH MY GAWD!
It’s hard not to fall in love with this easy creme brulee recipe and it is definitely a great make-ahead dessert! Add some fresh fruit, whipped cream and shaved chocolate for some lovely garnishes!
Only 4 Ingredients Needed
- heavy cream
- egg yolks
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
How to Make Easy Creme Brulee Recipe
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until hot to scald the milk. Small bubbles will appear just along the edge of the pan. Remove hot milk from heat.
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. To make sure there is no cooked egg in your custard, you can pour the cooked custard into a fine strainer, but there shouldn’t be much if you were whisking well. Pour strained mixture into a pourable container and pour custard into ramekins.
- Place filled ramekins in a large baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes ¾ 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. Baking times will depend on how deep the custard is in the ramekins. (Smaller ramekins for shorter baking time and deeper custard for longer baking 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. Make ahead, 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.
- Garnish with fresh fruits, whipped cream or shaved chocolate.
How to Torch Creme Brulee
Using a butane torch
How to Broil Creme Brulee
If you do not have a kitchen torch, you can also brulee the caramel topping by placing the ramekins under a broiler. Be sure to keep a close eye on the desserts while they are broiling, as they can quickly go from golden brown to burnt.
How to Store Easy Creme Brulee & Make in Advance
Creme Brulee will last a few hours to up to 3 days in the fridge. It is best to cover it with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. When ready to serve, just brulee the sugar on top and serve this gorgeous dessert!
You often see creme brulee on the dessert menu in restaurants, because it’s so popular and such a special treat! But you can make it at home and why not? This is such an easy creme brulee recipe, give it a try!
More Entertaining Delish Desserts!
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- Strawberry Dream Cake
- Raspberry Vanilla Custard Pudding Pie
- Strawberry Creme Passion Poke Cake!
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Easy Creme Brulee
Ingredients
Creme Brulee Recipe
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Caramelized Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for sugary caramel topping
Instructions
How to Make Creme Brulee Recipe
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until hot to scald the milk. Small bubbles will appear just along the edge of the pan. Remove hot milk from heat.
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the hot cream to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. To make sure there is no cooked egg in your custard, you can pour the cooked custard into a fine strainer, but there shouldn't be much if you were whisking well. Pour strained mixture into a pourable container and pour custard into ramekins.
- Place filled ramekins in a large baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes ¾ 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. Baking times will depend on how deep the custard is in the ramekins. (Smaller ramekins for shorter baking time and deeper custard for longer baking 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. Make ahead refrigerate up to 3 days.
How to Get Caramelized Sugar
- Sprinkle each custard with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and torch or broil just until caramelized. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
- Garnish with fresh fruits, whipped cream or shaved chocolate.
Recipe slightly adjusted from The Recipe Critic
