Creme Brulee

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

Show: Good EatsEpisode: My Pod

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (112)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(112)

Cook Time:
1 hr 0 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 2 hr 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Total:: 3 hr 30 min

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Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Creme Brulee
Nathan Oklahoma City, OK 12-13-2009
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Tastes Excellent
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made the recipe completely according to the recipe (as I always do the first time), and it absolutely tastes creamy and... awesome. Another Alton success story! The only pointers I'd add are: 1) I purchased vanilla sugar from Williams Sonoma. It tastes great in the custard itself, but do NOT use that same sugar to carmelize the top.... it catches fire! I switched to regular sugar and it was just fine. 2) In the episode, Alton suggests 1/4 to 1/3 of a teaspoon of sugar per dish for carmelizing. The recipe, however, calls for splitting the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar equally among the dishes, which works out to about 4 teaspoons (or 1 1/3 TABLESPOONS) of sugar. That was far too much for my 7 oz. dishes. Your mileage may vary, but it's important to determine how much sugar to use to cover your diameter of ramekin. For me, about 1/2 teaspoon was just about right.Read more
recipe Creme Brulee
DEBI ATASCADERO , CA 12-10-2009
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AWESOME!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Very easy to prepare, wonderfully tasty! Thank you Elton...Love your shows!
recipe Creme Brulee
Elaine Annandale, VA 11-29-2009
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Easiest Vanilla Creme Brulee ever!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this 2 days ahead of Thanksgiving, and I just finished off the last one 3 days after (the recipe made enough for 15!) ... SO delicious and so easy! I used much smaller dishes (varied from 2 to 4 oz). I followed the "set at the edges but jiggling in the center" directions, and adjusted the cooking time down and checked it regularly. And for the brulee topping, definitely use a torch rather than the broiler. Also, keep them uncovered in the fridge until cooled, but then cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out and absorbing other odors/flavors from the refridgerator. Vanilla sugar (if you don't make your own) can be purchased from Sur la Table (and probably other places.) This recipe is a keeper for both ease and taste!Read more
recipe Creme Brulee
Jeffrey Mira Loma, CA 11-25-2009
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Easy and awesome
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used to be required to bake a cheesecake for Thanksgiving and Christmas... Now they ask for Creme Brulee. Very easy to... make and fun using the torch. Stacie, if you watched the episode of Good Eats when Alton makes this, he puts the Vanilla bean into a jar of sugar... After the sugar absorbs the Vanilla for a while, you get Vanilla sugar. He also tells you to get a torch from a Home Depot or Lowes or some place similar... It's cheaper.Read more
recipe Creme Brulee
Brian Garden Grove, CA 11-25-2009
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Unbelievably good
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Wonderful recipe, took about 20 minutes to prepare (cut up the bean, heat up the cream, etc.) and 35 minutes in the oven. ... Make sure you watch the cream though, it'll sneak up on you and boil over if you don't pay attention. You can use regular sugar instead of vanilla sugar, it's just as good, and some stores sell flavored caramelizing sugars for the top layer.Read more
recipe Creme Brulee
Tom Hooksett, NH 11-21-2009
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Winning Recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Normally, I make Ina Gartens Grand Marnier creme brulee. But when I don't want the orange flavor and do want real vanilla... beans, I use AB's recipe. I've made it several times and all loved it. Another winning recipe from the mad scientist of the culinary world. Read more