Before you start
What this method is trying to achieve
Crème brûlée is a delicate custard. Temper the yolks gradually, bake the ramekins in hot water until the centers are just set, then chill before caramelizing a thin, even sugar layer.
Success looks like
Know the target before you cook
The custard should be smooth and softly set with a slight wobble, topped by a thin crisp caramel shell that cracks under a spoon.
Ingredients
What you need
Custard
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 480 ml heavy cream
- 480 ml half-and-half
- 8 large egg yolks
- 100 g superfine or granulated sugar
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
Topping
- 8 tsp granulated sugar
Method
Cook by the cues, not just the clock
Infuse dairy
Heat cream, half-and-half and vanilla to a simmer, then lower the heat briefly to infuse and remove from the heat.
Temper yolks
Whisk yolks, sugar and salt until pale and thick, then slowly stream in the hot dairy while whisking constantly.
Fill ramekins
Strain or skim foam as needed, divide the custard among ramekins and place them in a roasting pan.
Bake in water bath
Pour boiling water halfway up the ramekins and bake at 325°F / 163°C until the centers are just set, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Chill and brûlée
Remove from the water bath, chill at least 2 hours, then sprinkle each custard with a thin even sugar layer and torch to deep amber.
Critical checkpoints
Stop here and check
Water bath halfway up ramekins?
Hot water surrounds the ramekins to about half their height.Add enough boiling water before baking.
Center just set?
The custard has a controlled jiggle rather than a liquid ripple.Continue baking briefly if the center is still fluid.
Crème brûlée not setting?
The custard remains liquid or too loose after baking and chilling.Use creme-brulee-not-setting to check bake endpoint, water bath, ramekin depth, yolk ratio and chill time.
If yours looks different
Route the failure before changing the recipe
After cooking
Storage, reheating & substitutions
Storage
Keep the baked custards refrigerated. Caramelize sugar near serving time.
Reheating
Do not reheat chilled crème brûlée.
Substitutions
Use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean if needed. Superfine or regular granulated sugar can be used for the top if spread thinly.
Evidence
Sources & methodology
Technical claims and method decisions are tied to sources. Recipe-specific advice is not presented as a universal food-science law.
- Classic Creme BruleeFood Network
Food Network bakes custards in a hot water bath until the surfaces are set but still jiggle slightly, then refrigerates at least four hours or overnight.
publisherPassage verified - Vanilla Creme BruleeFood Network Kitchen
Food Network Kitchen bakes the ramekins in boiling water halfway up their sides until the centers are just set, then chills them before caramelizing sugar.
publisherPassage verified