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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Pudding

    Homemade Creme Brule

    Published by Melissa on February 1, 2023 | Updated February 1, 2023 | 55 Comments

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    Creme Brulee is a very simple rich vanilla custards that is baked and once chilled, a sugar layer is melted over the top. Easy to make and so fancy! via @barbarabakesCreme Brulee is a very simple rich vanilla custards that is baked and once chilled, a sugar layer is melted over the top. Easy to make and so fancy! via @barbarabakesCreme Brulee is a very simple rich vanilla custards that is baked and once chilled, a sugar layer is melted over the top. Easy to make and so fancy! via @barbarabakesCreme Brulee is a very simple rich vanilla custards that is baked and once chilled, a sugar layer is melted over the top. Easy to make and so fancy! via @barbarabakes

    Creme Brulee is a fancy dessert that tastes lovely and doesn’t require much effort. Your guest will be so impressed when you serve this classic dessert. 

    I know some of you are intimidated by the thought of making creme brulee but it isn’t as hard as you think. It consists of a rich vanilla custard base with a thin crisp caramelized sugar top and is usually served in individual ramekins.

    cooked creme brulle in white dish with tan sugar on top

    Easy Creme Brulee

    Can you believe you only need four ingredients to make this. You will only need heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. That is it!

    I am always surprised just how easy this impressive dessert is to make. The hardest part is just sprinkling the sugar evenly over the top so it would caramelize evenly. If you haven’t given it a try yet, you should.

    I make this recipe for birthdays and our anniversary because it’s easy but feels so fancy.

    creme brulle without the crispy sugar topping on a cooling rack

    Ingredients

    • Heavy cream: this helps to make a nice and thick custard
    • Granulated sugar: the sweetness for the custard and you’ll use some to toast on the top
    • 1 vanilla bean: this adds so much rich flavor, I love splurging on a vanilla bean but you can read in the notes how to use vanilla extract instead
    • Egg yolks: this recipe uses loads of egg yolks! Save those whites to make something like macrons or meringue cookies.

    How to Make Creme Brulee

    1. Your are going to LOVE how easy this recipe is.
    2. Just mix up your cream and sugar and let it warm on the stove. Throw in that vanilla bean and let it steep so all that vanilla flavor infuses into the liquid.
    3. Beat up your egg yolks and add some of the warm cream and then stir it all back intogether.
    4. Place this custard base in your ramekins on a baking sheet.
    5. Place them in the oven and add water to the pan so that the ramekins are sitting in it. Bake.
    6. Let cool and then stick in the fridge.
    7. When you want to serve, add sugar on top, use a torch to cook the sugar, and serve. SO much fun!
    spoon holding a bit of caramelized sugar from the creme brulee

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How Do I Get a Crisp, Caramelized Topping on Creme Brulee?

    To get that highly desired creme brulee top you can do a couple of things. You can put the creme brulee on a baking sheet and set the oven to broil for a couple of minutes. Or you can use a kitchen torch to get a nice even top. 

    Is creme brulee eaten hot or cold?

    Creme brulee is typically served cold but has a warm top. 

    How long will creme brulee last in the fridge?

    Creme brulee is a dessert that can be made ahead of time. However, it is best if eaten within 3 days. Just save doing the sugar topping until no more than 30 minutes before you plan to serve it.

    Does creme brulee have raw eggs?

    The eggs are completely cooked in creme brulee. They are baked in a water bath instead of being cooked on the stove.

    creme brulee in white dish with caramelized sugar on top

    Why is it called creme brulee?

    Creme brûlée is a French word that means “burnt cream”. Sign. Me. Up.

    Brulee torch information:

    You’ll need a brulee torch for this recipe and while it’s a specialty kitchen gadget, I make creme brulee often enough to justify it! I have this creme brulee torch from Amazon. You can find them in most kitchen supplies stores and even Target. Look for one that use butane as the fuel, is refillable, and has options to adjust the flame. My kids love helping with step, it’s very exciting for everyone.

    cooked creme brulee in white ramekin with a scoop taken out

    More custard desserts

    • Chocolate Eclairs
    • Banana Bread Pudding
    • Very Chocolate Pudding
    • Strawberry Panna Cotta

    If you’ve tried this creme brule recipe or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

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    Creme Brulee Recipe

    Prep Time40 mins
    Cook Time1 d 6 hrs
    Total Time8 hrs
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: creme brulee
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 495kcal
    Author: Melissa Griffiths
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups heavy cream chilled
    • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
    • Pinch salt
    • 1 vanilla bean halved lengthwise
    • 10 large egg yolks
    • ¼ cup turbinado sugar

    Instructions

    • Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with a dish towel.
    • Arrange eight 6-ounce ramekins in the pan, making sure they don't touch.
    • Combine 2 cups of the cream, the granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the pan with the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Off the heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
    • Stir in the remaining 2 cups cream.
    • Place the yolks in a large bowl and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the cream mixture until smooth. Whisk in the remaining cream mixture until thoroughly combined. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or pitcher. Pour the custard evenly into the ramekins.
    • Bring a kettle of water to a boil
    • Place the pan in the oven and carefully pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the centers of the custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy, 30 to 35 minutes (25 to 30 minutes for shallow fluted dishes) and up to an hour for deeper dishes, just make sure the middles don't slosh when you gently move the pan).
    • Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.
    • Just before serving, uncover the ramekins and gently blot the tops dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle each ramekin with 1-2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, then shake the ramekin to spread the sugar in an even layer. Pour out any excess sugar and wipe away from the inside rim of the ramekin. Ignite a torch and caramelize the sugar. Refrigerate the ramekins, uncovered, to rechill the custards, 30 to 45 minutes (but no longer). Serve.
    • e sure to burn the sugar topping on the creme brulee just before serving. If done too far in advance (more than a half hour or so), the caramelized sugar topping will soften and eventually turn to liquid caramel. For a real show, do it in front of your guests and don't worry about chilling a second time.
    • After sprinkling the sugar over the surface of the custard, tilt and tap the ramekin to distribute the sugar in a thin, even layer
    • To caramelize the sugar, sweep the flame from the perimeter of the custard toward the middle, keeping the flame about 2 inches above the ramekin. The sugar is properly caramelized when bubbling and deep golden brown.

    Notes

    • Not surprisingly, a vanilla bean imparts the deepest amount of flavor to custard, but 2 teaspoons of extract, whisked into the yolks in step 3, can be used instead. I skip the steaming step if I’m not using a vanilla bean.
    • For the caramelized sugar crust, we recommend turbinado sugar (sometimes sold as Sugar in the Raw), which is available at most grocery stores and gourmet food shops. Regular granulated sugar will work in a pinch, but use only 1 teaspoon per custard.
    • If using shallow ramekins, which normally hold 4 to 5 ounces, you may find that you have enough custard base for an extra one or two custards.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 115mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1749IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    pin of creme brulee recipe with text

    I hope you try your hand at making Easy Creme Brulee with its delicious custard and cartelized sugar top. It is surprisingly simple and is sure to impress your friends. 

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    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cakelaw

      August 15, 2010 at 9:53 pm

      OMG – this creme brulee looks and sounds amazing! Cooking classes are fun – hope yours was the best looking tart.

      Reply
    2. JG

      August 15, 2010 at 8:46 pm

      I've never made creme brulee. Yours looks really good!

      The Citrus Cream Cheese Rolls (pictured on right sidebar) also are so tempting, I saved the recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
    3. Memória

      August 15, 2010 at 8:06 pm

      ¡¡Bárbara!! Felicidades. Tu crème brûlée se ve perfecto. You're so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to Viking Cooking School!! ¡Qué envidia tengo! Me alegro de que te hayas divertido. Tus fotos y presentación son estupendas.

      Reply
    4. Lisa

      August 15, 2010 at 4:11 pm

      Ba-rb, creme brulee is my downfall. If I see it or make it, I can usually eat every ramekin. I tried a passion fruit creme brulle a few months ago that was out of this world. Now I would love to try you and your pal's beautiful honey version. Looks and sounds decadent. Also, great hearing about your cooking school class. What fun!

      Reply
    5. pigpigscorner

      August 15, 2010 at 2:04 pm

      I just want to dig in!

      Reply
    6. Jamie

      August 15, 2010 at 7:43 am

      I am so jealous that you and Tiffany can just pop over to each other's house and bake together! And gorgeous crème brulée!! I have never made them and we love them just as much. I think I'll go out and buy that torch and finally make them. And cooking class? Fun! I may sign up for one on the basis of your photo!

      Reply
    7. SweetsSuccessBaking

      August 14, 2010 at 5:49 pm

      Wish I were closer to the Viking Cooking School. The creme brulee looks great. The torches scare me a bit though.

      Reply
    8. Barbara@VinoLuci.com

      August 14, 2010 at 4:25 pm

      I love creme brulee and actually just had some for dessert last night. So simple and elegant. But I need one of those torches. I have a small hand held torch for cooking. Works but can take forever. I'm off to do my best Tim the Toolman Taylor impersonation at Home Depot!

      Reply
    9. Deeba PAB

      August 14, 2010 at 3:59 pm

      Oh these look FAB GF, just lovely! Also L♥ve your expression in the picture with the torch.
      If I had a torch, I would come visit you Barbara. {I need a torch…sigh! Need feet too!!}

      Reply
    10. Cristie

      August 13, 2010 at 9:24 pm

      Tiff is such a sweetie! Her creme brulee is so delicious, what a great oppertunity to have a private lesson from her (and her lovely daughter! The Viking School must have been wonderful. I keep reading about it when I get emails and such and wonder what it would be like, can't wait to hear all about it 🙂

      Reply
    11. Jamie

      August 13, 2010 at 9:01 pm

      I have always wanted to make creme brulee at home. It really does look simple to make. I need to buy one those torches…another gadget on my wish list. And the cooking school classes look like so much fun!

      Reply
    12. Cookin' Canuck

      August 13, 2010 at 4:28 pm

      This creme brulee looks fabulous- gorgeous crust. It looks as though you had a ball at the Viking cooking school. It's always fun to cook with a group of food lovers.

      Reply
    13. Reeni

      August 13, 2010 at 2:09 pm

      I always wanted to make creme brulee for my Mom, who loves it. These look scrumptious Barbara! And I bet the class was fun too.

      Reply
    14. Cyndy

      August 13, 2010 at 2:48 am

      Love creme brulee and this one sounds wonderful. That is one big torch! Sounds like you had a great time in class.

      Reply
    15. Maria

      August 13, 2010 at 1:31 am

      It was so fun seeing you at the Viking class! Glad you had fun. The creme brulee looks perfect!

      Reply
    16. tspegar

      August 13, 2010 at 1:17 am

      i just love you! thanks for the kind words and for the fun brulee making morning! it was a great time and my daughter loves you too 🙂 your brulee looks fantastic! enjoy the torch for a while 😉

      Reply
    17. Mags

      August 12, 2010 at 11:44 pm

      I love creme brulee but rarely make it. Seems like it's something I save for ordering at a restaurant because it's so special! Yours looks delicious.

      Reply
    18. SLCFoodie

      August 12, 2010 at 10:28 pm

      I must have missed you with the blow torch that night! That's a great photo!!

      Reply
    19. Faith

      August 12, 2010 at 9:43 pm

      Your creme brulee is gorgeous! And I bet it was even more fun getting to make it with someone else!

      Reply
    20. megan

      August 12, 2010 at 8:55 pm

      I love cream brulee and what fun to get together with Tiffany to make it. And the cooking class sounds like a good time as well.

      I cant believe 60 something days till SF. I never lost that 20 ppounds that I was sure would just melt off by now. At least with that link you sent me, we'll know where to feed my foodie figure. 🙂 Thank you!

      Crean Brulee bookmarked and post stumbled!

      Reply
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