Crème brûlée
Is there anything better than a creamy, scrumptious dessert that mixes all the best ingredients to make something to savor? :-) Crème brûlée is my favorite French dessert, which also happens to be one of the easiest ones to make, in a way. It's a perfect solution for leftover yolks (after making Swiss meringue or Italian meringue buttercream)—one batch of the buttercream allows making 4-6 mini bowls of the dessert!
To prepare the crusty shell on top, you will need a blowtorch—you can get a small one at some convenience stores, and however some recipes out there suggest using a broiler instead, this method is faster, easier, and allows you to control the amount of browned caramel on top.
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 4x Egg yolk (72g)
- White sugar: 4 spoons (60g)
- Whipping cream: 400ml (400g)
- Vanilla extract: 2ml (2g)
Step #1: Utensils
- large heat-proof bowl
- heavy-bottomed pot
- whisk
- mixer
- small ramekins
- large rectangle baking form
- aluminium foil
Step #2: Whip up the egg yolks (3 minutes)
Place all egg yolks and 2 spoons of sugar in a bowl and mix until light and fluffy, then set aside.
Step #3: Prepare the cream (5 minutes)
Pour cream into a pot, add rest of the sugar and heat until bubbles form on the edge.
Take off from the heat, add vanilla extract and mix gently to avoid whipping the cream.
The best crème brûlée is made with heavy cream, but since it's not easily available in Germany, I also use whipping cream (Schlagsahne) and used milk. Lighter creams, or milk, result in a more runny, light and fluffy dessert.
Step #4: Mix yolks with cream (2 minutes)
Pour very gently few spoons of the warm cream into egg yolks and quickly mix both together to avoid setting (cooking) the yolks.
In two or three steps add rest of the cream and mix everything thoroughly.
Using a spoon, remove foam that might make an unpleasant skin during the baking process.
You want to have the top, the "skin", as smooth as possible, so removing any foam that formed during mixing is essential.
Step #5: Prepare ramekins (2 minutes)
Preheat the oven to 160°C (320F).
Place ramekins in a large baking form, and fill them 2/3 to 3/4 of the height. Try to make them evenly filled.
Cover each ramekin with aluminium foil (matte side up, shiny side down) to prevent burning the surface.
Aluminium foil will prevent the top from forming and burning an unpleasant skin.
Step #6: Bake (20 minutes)
Place the large form in the oven, and fill it to at least 2/3 of the ramekin height with boiling hot water.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and shake gently to see if the inside wobbles, but keeps set.
Let the ramekins cool down on the counter, then chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Baking in a bath of hot water will improve the consistency and will prevent your crème brûlée from burning its sides.
Step #7: Serving
To serve the crème brûlée, spray 1 teaspoon of sugar on top, gently distribute and caramelize using the blowtorch.
The easiest way to caramelize the top is to hold the blowtorch at 45 degree angle, and go from inside to the edge. Sugar doesn't burn instantly, it should melt, then boil, then pretty quickly brown and burn. Aim for the amber-gold color.
Nutritional value of 1 portion (134g of 534g total)
|
462.75
Calories (kcal)
346.63 in 100g
20% GDA
|
4.98
Protein (g)
3.73 in 100g
9% GDA
|
18.51
Carbohydrates (g)
13.87 in 100g
6% GDA
|
14.97
Sugar (g)
11.22 in 100g
14% GDA
|
41.86
Fat (g)
31.36 in 100g
50% GDA
|
24.8
Saturated fat (g)
18.58 in 100g
99% GDA
|
50.0
Sodium (mg)
0.04 in 100g
0% GDA
|
The nutritional information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding proper nutrition.