Crème Brulee Recipe

Preheat and prepare ramekins

Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Arrange six 6-oz ramekins in a roasting pan to hold them for the water bath.

Split and scrape vanilla bean

Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife. Reserve both seeds and pod.

Combine cream, milk, and vanilla: in a medium saucepan, pour in the heavy cream and whole milk. Add the scraped vanilla seeds and the empty vanilla pod. Heat over medium until the mixture is hot and small bubbles appear at the edge (do not boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15–20 minutes to infuse vanilla flavor.

Whisk yolks and sugar: while the cream is infusing, place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and add 3/4 cup granulated sugar (from the 'Crème base' ingredients) and the fine sea salt. Whisk until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper the yolks: remove the vanilla pod from the cream mixture. Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot cream into the yolk mixture in a thin steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Continue pouring the remaining cream gradually while whisking until fully combined. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or large measuring cup to remove any coagulated bits and vanilla pod remnants.

Portion custard: divide the strained custard evenly among the six prepared ramekins, leaving a small gap at the top (about 1/4 inch).

Prepare water bath: place the roasting pan with the filled ramekins on a stable surface. Carefully pour hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches).

Bake: transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake at 325°F (162°C) for 35–40 minutes. The custards are done when the edges are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle (like gelatin).

Cool and chill: carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and place them on a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours or up to 2 days. Chilling allows the custard to fully set.

Prepare sugar: sprinkle an even, thin layer (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) of the 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for brûlée topping) over the surface of each chilled custard. Tilt the ramekin and tap to distribute sugar evenly so the layer covers the entire surface.

Caramelize sugar: using a kitchen blowtorch, hold the flame about 2–3 inches from the sugar and move it continuously in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep golden brown. Allow the sugar to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes. If you don't have a torch, place the ramekins under a very hot broiler on a wire rack for 2–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning; rotate as needed for even browning.

Serve: let the caramelized sugar rest 1–2 minutes to fully harden. Serve immediately for best contrast between cold custard and warm crisp topping. Any leftover brûlée can be refrigerated but the topping may soften over time; re-torch before serving if needed.