I used to say I didn’t like crème brûlée but, after I bought a blow torch and upon much insistency of my Taste Tester (who have always loved it), I decided to have a go. And I loved it!
I have found many recipes – some quite fiddly, some didn’t sound right (Nigella’s version is made entirely on the stove top!). Then I remembered that my fellow blogger Fiona, of La Petite Gourmande Anglaise, had posted a recipe for it that sounded quite simple. And so it was settled (hello, I’m still me! :P).
CRÈME BRÛLÉE
(slightly adapted from La Petite Gourmande Anglaise)
INGREDIENTS
4 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
500ml double cream
some demerara sugar for sprinkling
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C. Sit 4 ramekins in a deep roasting tin.
Pour cream into a pan. Open vanilla pod lengthways and scrape seeds into cream. Drop vanilla pod in as well and set aside.
Whisk yolks and caster sugar until thick (about 1 minute).
Put pan with cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. Take pan off the heat, remove pod and pour hot cream into egg mixture, whisking as you go.
Pour mixture into ramekins and fill roasting tin with hot water up to 2/3 of ramekins. Put tin in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes (the crèmes should wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle).
Lift ramekins out of the tin, sprinkle demerara sugar on top and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. To caramelise the sugar use a blow torch, holding the flame just above the ramekins and moving it round and round, until all sugar is burnt. Serve immediately or within an hour.
tea with erika 
I love creme brulee! Yum!
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Have you ever tried flavoured crème brûlėe? I’ve seen white chocolate and lavender but I’m inclined to think that keeping it simple is always best.
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I have not had any of the flavored ones. I love the simple but delicious flavor of custard so I don’t know if I would like other flavors as much. It just wouldn’t be crème brûlėe! 🙂
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I knew you’d like it ;P
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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Looks great =] Creme brulee was one of my first things I used my blow torch on too!
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Well, now I have to come up with other things to blow-torch to justify my purchase 😉
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I wanted to a buy blow-torch to make baked Alaska. I had forgotten all about CRÈME BRÛLÉE ! You are a courageous woman and a sweet one at that, Erika! 😀 Fae.
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Awnnnn, thanks dear! Baked Alaska using a blow torch? Hmmmm… Sounds like a great idea! 🙂
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Looks like a legit enough “excuse” for me to get a blowtorch, LOL!
I love crème brûlée but have always found it daunting to make, but you’ve made it look painless. Hurrah!
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It is actually quite easy, Nat. And quick. People find it impressive maybe because of the crunchy caramel top – or maybe just because of the French name. But in the end it’s just baked custard! 😉
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I like it, but I don’t think I can make one on my own.
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Oh, don’t let the name fool you! There’s nothing to it: it’s just a baked custard! But it’s well worth making 🙂
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I love your creme brulee!
Bravissima Erika, se eravamo più vicine venivo ad assaggiarla!
Mi piacerebbe rifare la tua ricetta!
Se mi viene bene… la pubblico!
un abbraccio
Giusy
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Grazie mille, Giusy! Raccontami dopo se si fa! 🙂
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Just lovely. I love creme brulee.. and this looks absolutely perfect! ❤
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Thank you! I’d never thought it could be so good! I’m already thinking of making it again 🙂
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