A classic French baked custard with a rich vanilla cream base and a signature caramelised demerara sugar crust. Silky and indulgent with a satisfying crack.
1piece
500ml
5piece
50g
600ml
6tsp| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 2 | | 500ml | — | — | |
| 3 | | 5piece | — | — | |
| 4 | | 50g | — | — | |
| 5 | | 600ml | — | — | |
| 6 | | 6tsp | — | — |
Preheat the oven to 150 °C.
Lay the vanilla pod on the chopping board.
Vanilla pod · 1 piece
Split the vanilla pod lengthways with a paring knife.
Scrape the seeds from the split vanilla pod with the back of the paring knife, keeping the seeds and pod together on the board.
Pour the double cream into the saucepan.
Double cream · 500 ml
Add the vanilla seeds and pod to the cream in the saucepan.
Heat the cream over a medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles appear at the edges, then remove from the heat.
Leave the cream to infuse for 10 minutes so the vanilla flavour deepens.
Add the egg yolks to the mixing bowl.
Egg yolks · 5 piece
Whisk the egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened.
Add the caster sugar to the whisked egg yolks and whisk until the sugar is fully incorporated.
Caster sugar · 50 gPour the infused cream through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug, discarding the vanilla pod.
Gradually pour the strained infused cream into the egg yolk mixture, stirring gently and continuously to combine.
Skim off any foam or bubbles from the surface of the custard mixture with a spoon.
Ladle the custard mixture evenly into 4 ramekins of about 150 ml, filling each nearly to the top (about 3 cm deep).
Place the filled ramekins into a deep roasting tin, spacing them evenly.
Pour boiling water into the roasting tin around the ramekins until it reaches halfway up their sides.
Boiling water · 600 mlCarefully slide the roasting tin into the oven.
Bake the custards until just set with a very slight wobble in the centre when gently shaken.
Remove the roasting tin from the oven carefully using oven gloves.
Lift the ramekins out of the water bath with tongs and transfer them to a wire rack.
Allow the custards to cool to room temperature on the rack.
Cover each ramekin tightly with cling film.
Transfer the covered ramekins to the refrigerator.
Chill the custards for at least 3 hours until fully set and cold throughout.
Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator.
Sprinkle a thin, even layer of demerara sugar (1½ teaspoons each) over the surface of each chilled custard, tilting the ramekin to spread it.
Demerara sugar · 6 tspHold the blowtorch about 5 cm from the surface and move it in slow, steady circles until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber caramel.
Leave the brûlées to rest for one minute so the caramel sets to a crisp, glassy crust before serving.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | | Preheat the oven to 150 °C.⏱ 15 min |
| 2 | 1 piece | | Lay the vanilla pod on the chopping board.⏱ 5sResultVanilla pod |
| 3 | Vanilla podstep 2 | | Split the vanilla pod lengthways with a paring knife.⏱ 1 minResultSplit Vanilla Pod |
| 4 | Split Vanilla Podstep 3 | | Scrape the seeds from the split vanilla pod with the back of the paring knife, keeping the seeds and pod together on the board.⏱ 1 minResultScraped vanilla seedsused in step 6 |
| 5 | 500 ml | | Pour the double cream into the saucepan.⏱ 1 minResultDouble cream |
| 6 | Scraped vanilla seedsstep 4 | | Add the vanilla seeds and pod to the cream in the saucepan.⏱ 15sResultScraped vanilla seeds and double cream |
| 7 | — | | Heat the cream over a medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles appear at the edges, then remove from the heat.⏱ 5 minResultHot vanilla cream |
| 8 | — | | Leave the cream to infuse for 10 minutes so the vanilla flavour deepens.⏱ 10 minResultInfused creamused in step 12 |
| 9 | 5 piece | | Add the egg yolks to the mixing bowl.⏱ 15sResultEgg yolks |
| 10 | — | | Whisk the egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened.⏱ 3 minResultWhisked egg yolks |
| 11 | 50 g | | Add the caster sugar to the whisked egg yolks and whisk until the sugar is fully incorporated.⏱ 30sResultSweetened whisked egg yolks |
| 12 | Infused creamstep 8 | | Pour the infused cream through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug, discarding the vanilla pod.⏱ 2 minResultStrained infused cream |
| 13 | Strained infused creamstep 12 | | Gradually pour the strained infused cream into the egg yolk mixture, stirring gently and continuously to combine.⏱ 2 minResultCustard mixture |
| 14 | — | | Skim off any foam or bubbles from the surface of the custard mixture with a spoon.⏱ 1 minResultCustard mixture |
| 15 | Custard mixturestep 14 | | Ladle the custard mixture evenly into 4 ramekins of about 150 ml, filling each nearly to the top (about 3 cm deep).⏱ 2 minResultPortioned custard |
| 16 | — | | Place the filled ramekins into a deep roasting tin, spacing them evenly.⏱ 1 minResultPortioned custard |
| 17 | 600 ml | | Pour boiling water into the roasting tin around the ramekins until it reaches halfway up their sides.⏱ 1 minResultWater-bathed custard |
| 18 | — | | Carefully slide the roasting tin into the oven.⏱ 15sResultWater-bathed custard |
| 19 | — | | Bake the custards until just set with a very slight wobble in the centre when gently shaken.⏱ 37 minResultBaked custard |
| 20 | — | | Remove the roasting tin from the oven carefully using oven gloves.⏱ 30s |
| 21 | — | | Lift the ramekins out of the water bath with tongs and transfer them to a wire rack.⏱ 2 minResultPortioned custard |
| 22 | — | Allow the custards to cool to room temperature on the rack.⏱ 30 minResultCooled custard | |
| 23 | — | | Cover each ramekin tightly with cling film.⏱ 1 min |
| 24 | — | | Transfer the covered ramekins to the refrigerator.⏱ 15sResultCooled custard |
| 25 | — | Chill the custards for at least 3 hours until fully set and cold throughout.⏱ 3 hrResultChilled custard | |
| 26 | — | | Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator.⏱ 15sResultChilled custard |
| 27 | 6 tsp | Sprinkle a thin, even layer of demerara sugar (1½ teaspoons each) over the surface of each chilled custard, tilting the ramekin to spread it.⏱ 1 minResultSugar-topped custard | |
| 28 | — | | Hold the blowtorch about 5 cm from the surface and move it in slow, steady circles until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber caramel.⏱ 2 minResultCaramelised custard |
| 29 | — | Leave the brûlées to rest for one minute so the caramel sets to a crisp, glassy crust before serving.⏱ 1 minResultCrème Brûlée | |
| Total Time | 4 hr 6 min | ||
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 716kcal | |
| 6g | |
| 51g | |
| 28g | |
| 25g | |
| 23g | |
| 13mg |
A classic French baked custard with a rich vanilla cream base and a signature caramelised demerara sugar crust. Silky and indulgent with a satisfying crack.
What you’ll doYou will infuse cream with a split vanilla pod, whisk egg yolks with sugar and strain the warm cream into them. The custard bakes gently in ramekins in a water bath, chills until set, and is finished with a crust of caramelised demerara sugar.
