This deliciously sweet and creamy dessert is served all over the world.  The origins of the recipe are unknown and England, France and Spain all compete over who created the dish.  While each country may have made some contribution to the finished product, it has come to be known by its French name, giving France inherent credit for the creation of this delectable dessert.

 

The basic idea of crème brûlée is that of a sweet creamy custard made from egg yolks that is topped with a hard, sugary shell made by melting sugar with a blowtorch or some other intense source of heat.  Crème brûlée is traditionally served in ramekins, which are small, white individual dishes.  Even if you are a great fan of this dessert, the idea of making it at home might seem intimidating, with the use of a blowtorch and all.  Don't worry!  The following is a recipe for crème brûlée with suggestions for how to choose the best ingredients and get great results every time.

 

            8 egg yolks

            1/3 cup granulated white sugar

            2 cups heavy cream

            1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            ¼ cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

 

When you are choosing eggs for your crème brûlée, be sure to buy large grade A eggs and chill them well before you begin.  If the eggs are chilled, it will be much easier for you to separate the yolks from the whites because the yolks will be firmer.  Also, you can vary the custard by adding fewer eggs if you prefer a lighter color or texture.

 

Sugar comes in an array of different varieties.  You may be overwhelmed when going to the store and seeing everything from granulated to super granulated to white to brown to confectioners sugar.  Since you will be melting your sugar to form the famous caramelized top of your crème brûlée, try used the super granulated variety of sugar in your first attempt.

 

The classic crème brûlée recipe calls for heavy whipping cream to be used in the custard base.  This will create a very rich, smooth and creamy result.  If you would like to create a lighter dessert or if you are going to be adding chocolate or other flavor you could try substituting regular whipping cream or half and half.  These two options would also give your end result slightly fewer calories.

 

Last but not least comes the vanilla extract.  Do not be fooled by the imitation vanilla that you see at the grocery store.  Buy pure vanilla extract.  Even though it is a little more expensive, your taste buds will thank you.

 

Now that you have picked out your ingredients, you are ready to start baking your first crème brûlée.  Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a light yellow color.  Add vanilla and cream and continue whisking until the whole mixture is well blended.  Strain into large bowl to remove any foamy bubbles.

 

Divide your mixture among 6 ramekins.  Fill a large pan with 1 to 2 inches of hot water and place your ramekins in the pan.  Place the whole pan in the oven and bake 50 to 60 minutes until the custard is set around the edges, but still loose in the middle.  Take the pan out of the oven and leave the ramekins in the water until they have cooled.  Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours.  Before serving, sprinkle custard with 2 teaspoons of sugar and melt with a blowtorch.  If you don't have a blowtorch you can use the broiler in your oven, but then you will want to re-chill the crème brûlée before you serve it to your guests.