How to make creme brulee
Understated and elegant, this classic boasts a shatteringly crisp topping of caramelised sugar, beckoning us to break through.
Caramel is a highwire act between heat and time; too little heat leaves the sugar languishing and crystallising, while too much time leads to a bitter demise. It can transform from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.
While I don’t usually have a sweet tooth, I am a big fan of the bitter notes of caramel and the complex flavours of toffee and butterscotch, transporting me to childhood memories of sticky fingers and sugary indulgence.
Some other delicious recipes you may love:
- Late summer plums with muscovado cream
- Upside-down orange, black cardamom and rosemary cake
- An indulgent chocolate tart recipe
I also have a soft spot for crème brûlée which, despite its French fame, is widely believed to have been first served as “burnt cream” at Trinity College in Cambridge. Here the caramel takes centre stage against a backdrop of indulgent creamy custard fragrant with vanilla and citrus. Understated and elegant, this classic is topped with a shatteringly crisp topping of caramelised sugar, beckoning us to break through.
RECIPE: Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 600ml double cream
- ½ vanilla pod
- Zest of ½ orange
- Pinch sea salt
- 6 egg yolks
- 30g caster sugar plus 20g caster sugar plus extra, to top and caramelise
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150C. Pour the cream into a small pan, cut the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds into the pan. Add the pod, zest and sea salt and slowly bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
- Put the yolks and 30g caster sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk. Pour the boiled cream over the yolks and whisk until well combined. Strain the mix and into ramekins or small bowls. (I prefer a wider dish so there’s more surface and thus more crunchy caramel in proportion to custard.)
- Make a bain-marie by placing the ramekins in a baking tray and filling the tray with hot water to come two-thirds of the way up the ramekins. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, checking after 15 minutes and rotating the tray. The custard should be just set while retaining a decent centre wobble. Remove from the bain-marie and set aside. Once cool, refrigerate until completely cold.
- To serve, remove from the fridge and evenly sprinkle with remaining sugar. Caramelise with a blowtorch or under an extremely hot grill. Cool for 5 minutes to let the caramel harden before serving. Serves 4-6