Creme Brulee

Crème Brûlée is more a classic English pudding than a classic French dessert. Jane Grigson describes it as the 'best of all English puddings' and discusses its origins in her 'English Food'.

It is most frequently associated with Oxford and Cambridge College dinners. Indeed its origin is usually accredited to Trinity College, Cambridge, although Jane Grigson provodes evidence for an origin in the eighteenth century (it appears in Elizabeth Raffald's "The Experienced English Housekeeper".

To be fair, there were earlier sightings in France. Helen Saberi, writing in Alan Davidson's Penguin/Oxford Companion to Food mentions its appearance in a seventeenth century French cooking treatise (Massialot: "Le Cusinier roial et bourgeois (1691) but points out that it subsequently fell into disuse in France.

I have only very rarely come across it in France, where crème caramel is much more usually found on the menu.

(Julia Child et al's claim that it is actually a Creole dish appears to be without foundation)

Dr Christopher Bunch
Oxford UK

If you came to Catalunya ( Spain ), you can ask for Crema Catalana and you'll see is the same recipe.

Maybe every country have this dessert :)

Well, I think every country in the world has it's own crème brûlée recipe.

but the fact is that crème brûlée is a french world meaning "burned cream".

I ignore wether the very origin of Crème brûlée is French or British, however I disagree with you Christopher on the fact it is rare in French restaurants.
It is very common, and in my humble opinion you can often judge the overall quality of the restaurant at the taste of its Crème brulée. Too bad it is a dessert, and thus, coming at the very end of the meal ^^

I love that everyone is so passionate about brûlée. I have to say that I agree with the last comment from Hugo. I also tend to judge restaurants by their Crème brulée. I guess I am a bit of a Crème brulée snob! Is that so wrong?

Crème brûlée is a very commun dessert in most of french restaurants. Nowadays this dessert comes in a lot of different flavors, like café, pistachios and rasberries.
I really don't like in restaurants when they served this dessert warm. I really think the cream has to be cool with only the caramel crust on top of it warm.

We tried making this dessert with this recipe. The custard tasted really delicious without being too sweet and the hint of vanilla made it fantastic. However, the custard was a little too runny. We baked it for 24 minutes and chilled it for 4h. Can someone please tell us where we went wrong?

Gerald and Adele

How to tell when crème brûlée is cooked. First off I am glad you liked the flavor of the brûlée. As for the consistency, crème brûlée is a bit more runny then say... crème caramel. It's more like a pudding. You must give it a bit of a shake test to see if it is done. I use tongs and give it a bit of a shake to see how the brûlée moves. It should not look runny in the middle, rather the whole thing should jiggle a bit.

Even myself, I have made crème brûlée about 500 times and every once and a while I haven't let it cook quite long enough. Sometimes the oven may have been off a few degrees, or the water bath wasn't as high as usual. Really I don't sweat it, as the flavor is still delicious. Once you make this dessert a few times you will know when it is done.

Perhaps next time leave it for 2 more minutes and see what kind of a result you get. Just try not to over cook the crème brûlée (well maybe just once over cook it and then you will know why i say this). Also check you oven temperature.

Good luck, hope this helped!

i love this dessest .....

I would never have tried this recipe if I hadn't seen the video. And, based on my experience, the video made the difference between success and a disaster: the part of the video which showed just how much "wiggle" I should see saved me from pulling the ramekins out of the baine marie a couple of minutes too early.

My only *slightly* negative comment is that the printed instructions didn't mention (though it was mentioned in the video) that the water should be boiling hot. Fortunately, I remembered that as I was creating (!) in the kitchen and the result was excellent.

My wife kids me that I won't buy a recipe book unless it has pictures. The vids here show just how useful vids and pictures can be.

i blame albertson the grocery store for discouraging me for not having the ramekins and the whole vanilla bean they gave me a run around up to coffee bean section. i was furious. i didnt know where else to get it.

i lost the excitement of cooking my very first cream brulee. i lacked the tools and not having the vanilla bean thing made matters worst plus i didnt think we have the right torched it was i think profane .

i just realize not to rush everything , be prepared, take things slow, and finally TOOLS the most important.

You are right-on when you say be prepared and don't rush. Can you imagine using a microwave oven to temper the eggs?

As for the torch, it's a propane gas torch you want to get. This tool is in the top 5 of most often used in my kitchen. I use it to bring the flavour of BBQ grilling to my stove-top dishes. If I am stir-frying a bit of pork & veg., I always hit the meat with the torch while it fries in the wok. This flavour (the caramelizing of the sugars on the surface of your food) reaches way back in our primal minds. And the message is FOOD! GOOD! Try one for a while and see what you think.

Is really necessary to use the torch ot make the caramel, or can you make the caramel aside, it's because i haven't been able to find a torch to do it....

Creme Brulee actually stands for "burnt cream". Without the torch, you can't caramelize it. Two suggestions:

1. Make Creme Caramel (close but you make a caramel and pour the custard over it). Different consistency as well in the end result but really great too.

2. Go to your local home hardware store and buy a butane torch. Make sure to get one with a "clicker-style" igniter. Should be able to buy one for about $25. Kitchen stores have smaller more expensive kitchen torches but I have always found them less effective.

Cheers
Joe

all ingredients..are amazing together...(but..depending...how your oven baking....,be carefully about (20 to 30 minutos baking that creme.)and.. if it needs more time leave til 45 minutes.

Adding a little lemon zest , will be great!!

I'm going to make this just so I have a reason to buy a torch. I read one recommendation about using it on meat in a wok; can anyone recommend other uses for a torch in a kitchen?

Is it possible to substitute the sugar with splenda? I tried making these 3 times with time adjustments till about 50 minutes in the oven at 300F but still runny eventhough it jiggles when i took it out. Or do i need to let the cream boil?
I have no problem with caramelizing. I used turbinado sugar for it.

Our recipe is not formulated to be used with artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda. Without adjusting the formula, artificial sweeteners cannot substitute sugar 1:1. They just don't contain the same properties.

Since we do not use artificial sweeteners in our Test Kitchen, perhaps you can contact the manufacturer to obtain replacement guidelines. We tried looking on Splenda's website for a brulee recipe, but didn't find one. However, if you search online for "creme brulee made with Splenda", you'll find quite a few recipes. Hope that helps. Good luck!

I followed this recipe exactly as shown in the video, except the size of my ramekins was a little bigger than what was used in the video so i has to cook it for a lot longer...even after being refridgerated for over a day its runny at the bottom.. help:(.. also because of the orange zest it tastes more like orange creme brulee or am i using too much??

Size of the ramekins may have made a difference, but there are many other factors that it could have been.

Maybe read the message I posted earlier called..."Cooking Crème Brûlée".

As for the orange zest, perhaps just use a bit less. It is supposed to give you a hint of orange flavor. However, you can omit the orange zest all together if you like.

My first recipe I followed on Rouxbe.com. It turned out great thanks to detailed video instructions.

Everybody in my family loved it.

Thanks Dawn, il try them again and let you know how it goes.

in greece u can tast it in diferent way the flavour changes..
but i like the original one the the way that u saw!!!
i try make it and it was very very good!!!!!!

There have been several comments about torches so I thought I'd add a little story of my own. The first time I made creme brule (see my other comment on this thread) I used a standard garage propane torch. It worked fine ... well, fine *except* ... it seemed to have a very strong gas flow and that -- even though I had it turned down -- still blew many of the sugar granules around.

So, next time, I went to a local kitchen store and bought an inexpensive torch. On the way home, I picked up a butane cartridge and, at home, I loaded up the torch and tried it out.

Wow! A yellow flame -- almost a metre long -- leapt out! Then, suddenly, it dropped back to a 5-10cm blue flame. Just what I wanted. But I was, naturally, worried so I tried the unit again. And again. And each time I'd get a long yellow flame for a few seconds before seeing the desired 5-10cm blue flame. Back to the store with the unit, a quick demo of the problem and I got a new one. This time, I loaded it in the store and tried it out while I was still there. The replacement unit worked perfectly.

So ... if you are going to buy a kitchen torch (instead of using one from Canadian Tire) then buy a butane cartridge first so you can try the unit out near the store in case you need to exchange it.

One other thing (which I have noted before): the printed instructions don't mention that the water in the bain marie should be boiling. If you print the recipe out then make a notation to that effect.

A final thought: this is a "do not rush", focus on what you are doing, watch your timing, and check your "jiggle" as you approach the end of the cooking time. If you take care you are almost guaranteed a perfect result.

Just to clarify...you are right, the water that gets added for the bain marie, should be very hot or boiling. But once the brûlée starts to cook inside the oven, the water should not be boiling. The water merely surrounds the brûlée with gentle heat, so it cooks evenly, and doesn't curdle.

Thanks for the blow torch stories! Have a great day.

John, you're right about that flame!
Why that happens: In a cold torch (just turned on), the gas from the cannister is cold and dense and can't burn all at once. Therefore it burns at a low temp and FLARES!

Once the torch is warmed up (a few minutes) the gas can vaporize and burn more efficiently.
If you shake the can, you can get the same effect; huge flame shooting out like a circus act.

N.B. Don't freak out and drop the torch, just point it away from you and maybe over the stove. It'll settle down and after a couple of minutes will be warmed up and ready for anything!

A restuarant I like to frequent makes creme brulee with spirits in it (tahitian rum, lemoncello etc.). I've never tasted a desert so good!

I'd like to try duplicating this at home. I was thinking that I should add the spirits just before pouring into ramekins. Does this make sense, or is there a reason to add it at a different timing?

When to add the alcohol? The alcohol, whether it be Grand Marnier, Limoncello, or Rum, should be added at the beginning.

I sometimes add a teaspoon or so in the beginning to the cream. You could even evaporate the alcohol (by about half) in the pot, before you add the cream. If you add the alcohol at the end you will slow down the coagulation (basically it will be like adding water).

Traditionalist even say (okay, a few people here at Rouxbe) that no alcohol should be used. They say it should be served on the side in a glass with some ice. Instead add a bit of zest instead. But this is a matter of taste and tradition, so have fun and let us know how it turns out.

Good luck, hope this helps!

Just superb!

I watched that link, and yes both ways work, but the first technique (using egg shells to separate) can be very bad because its the outside of the shell that contains salmonella and there is a higher risk to getting the bacteria in the egg by separating the eggs with the shell. the bowl technique is the way to go.

Sounds like a real quick and authentic recipe. I dotn think i have ever made it at home. But love this dessert. I have also had a few different favolurs of this. Strawbeery, Choco, Coffee etc.. So i will let you know how this recipe turns out at home.

Reading the recipe, i wanted to know how long we should beat the egg and sugar mixture for and the consistency it should be. ie: double in volume? Thick? etc...

You really just need to whisk the two together. You are not looking to add any volume here. About 15 seconds is sufficient.

I have made this recipe twice! The first time , I cover the ramekins with foil before refrigerating them. When I sprinkled the sugar, some of the sugar was absorbed in the top of the cream brulee and when I torched it, I got a nice thick caramelized sugar. The second time, I did not cover the cream brulee before refrigerating!!! When I torched it, apparently the sugar was very thin and didn't absorbed into the custard and so the result was a very thin caramelized sugar crust????
Which way is best??
Thank you
Tum

Generally crème brûlée should only have a nice rather thin layer of sugar topping. It is not meant to be thick. The delicate sugar coating adds a nice gentle contrast to the soft custard beneath.

Of course, if you loved the thick coating then feel free to do it that way. But just know that the thinner coating is more classic.

Hope this helps!

Thank you !!
Should I cover the custard before refrigerating???

I would say no, as this likely caused condensation which is what made the sugar soak in more and become wet.

Comments: I've made this twice now, once w/vanilla bean seeds and once w/real vanilla extract. Right at 22 minutes, it already doesn't shake quite as much as demonstrated in the video. Not sure if water in baine marie should be near boiling or just warm to heat w/the oven.
Recommendation" EXCELLENT. Not too sweet. just right. Thank you!

The cooking time will generally vary a bit for everyone, as every oven is different. Times are usually just an approximation. When I went to culinary school all of the students (including myself) used to say "how long will it take chef...when is it done chef" and he would always say "when it's done".

Back then that seemed like not such a nice answer, but after quite a few years of cooking now, this answer seems just right. It's when you know what you are looking for that you become a bit more free of times. You know that you are looking for that particular jiggle, so when you see that it's done, no matter how long it has been.

As for the water you add to the baine marie, I usually just use very hot tap water.

Hope this helps and doesn't sound like a snooty answer as that was surely not my intention. So glad you liked the recipe, it's one of my favorites as well :-)

This is the first time I have ever made creme brulee and it turned out fantastic, thanks to the easy to follow steps and video! I was even told it tasted professional :-D

This is one of my favorite desserts!

It was the first time I've tried a Rouxbe recipe and let me say this, it was a complete success! My mom wanted to learn how to make crème brûllée so I did it in her kitchen and she said I looked like a pro!lol I must say that the only reason that happened was because of the detailed step-by-step instructions, that made all the difference! I'm now proud to say that I'm eternaly hooked to rouxbe!! :)

The texture of the cream turns out solidify. What happen? Thanks.

I am not sure exactly when you mean. Do you mean once it is cooked it was solidified? If so, it was likely just overcooked (perhaps the oven was too hot or it was left in for too long).

Yes. That's what I meant. I'll try again. Thank you.

was wondering if i can steam this directly in a steamer? without using an oven?

Yes you can, but make sure the steam is gentle and no condensation on the lid drips into the custard. You may have to keep your lid ajar, or loosely cover the custard with foil poked with a couple of holes. Steam till the middle feels just set but still a bit jiggly.

Thank you so much for this recipe. I have tried two others, one which did not include oven baking and one that did, and neither turned out as good as this one.

Do you have any thoughts on using different types of sugar for the caramellized lid?

So glad that you liked the recipe and that you had success! As for other sugars to use for creating that wonderful crunchy topping - you could use brown sugar, light brown sugar or even turbinado sugar (I quite like having turbinado sugar in my pantry, for those times when I want to add a slight twist to sweet things).

Good luck, hope this helps!

I made this one over and over.i got the recipe from here let me tell you when i make it i dont intend to share

First off, love the recipe- I really want to try a pumpkin-flavored brulee for Thanksgiving. I hear Earl Grey works well also.
Here's my issue- perhaps I'm over-whipping the mixture, but after mixing the eggs and cream, I get about an inch of foam on top. When I pour into the ramekins, about half is foam.
Should I let the mixture sit for a while? Or should I just scoop off the foam with a spoon? Or am I just whipping too much? Anyone else have this issue? Any tips?
Thanks!

Hi Jason I had the same problem before and I read a very fun way to actually fix it, use a kitchen torch !, once you pour the custard in the ramekins use the torch very quickly to blow up the bubbles it's really fun to do ;D

Thanks Khaled!
I'll give this a try tomorrow.
Cheers,
Jason

I suggest just simply straining the mixture before you pour it into the ramekins (as in step 1 of the video). I have made creme brulee hundreds of times and this seems to work every time.

Hope this helps!

I have had creme brulee in restaurants where the vanilla seeds are suspended in the custard. but when I do it they always settle.

You do not really ever stop the seeds from settling, you can stir it as you pour the custard in the ramekins, but inevitably many of seeds will still settle to the bottom.

Honestly though, this is a good thing, the seeds are the evidence and prize that you used the real thing (a real vanilla pod as apposed to vanilla extract. So I say, let the seeds settle and enjoy!

My daughter (age 11) made this for Thanksgiving. We live in Switzerland just near the border of France, and celebrated it with American and French friends in France. Patrice, a semi professional baker, started the clapping. Then everyone joined in the ovation. It was fabulous - the recipe, the flavor, and the accolades for my daughter (who at this point wants to be a pastry chef). Thanks for a great recipe/tutorial.

Do we have a 3 star michelin chef in the making?

Happy it turned out great, especially considering this is a tricky dish to get right. :-)

Thanks for this great recipe. Creme Brulee has always been my favourite dessert and I've never made it till now. This has been said many times before, but it is beyond valuable to be able to compare what is in front of you in the kitchen to what Dawn is doing in the video. Being able to judge 'done-ness' makes things so much better.

I made this for the first time yesterday and it turned out quite nicely. A couple of notes/comments/questions:

- I found the orange to be a bit too over-powering (great flavour, just masked the vanilla), so I'll cut back on that next time.

- I saw the comments re: covering while chilling. I covered mine and found that I had a hard time getting a nice crust to form when torching. I imagine it was the condensation on top that was making the sugar too wet. I really want that nice dark, even, 'restaurant' shell on top.

- What would be the best way to make a chocolate creme brulee? Add some cocoa to the cream? Melted chocolate?

I'm excited about some more dessert/pasty lessons coming online.

Thanks to all!

Great to hear Mike, thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts and feedback. As for making chocolate creme brulee...well I am a purist when it comes to making creme brulee, so I have never made chocolate before. If I want chocolate, I would make pudding or maybe something else, but to me creme brulee is vanilla custard.

Of course this is just my opinion and I imagine a chocolate version would taste delicious. I found this recipe, which looks good, from Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee for Epicurious.

Please let me know how it turns out...now I am curious :-)

I am so excited! I just got my ramekins out of the oven...the custard looks exquisite! I am VERY anxious for them to cool so I can get this 4 hours over and done with! I am so excited to taste my first homemade Creme Brulee!!! I have one question though...I used a glass casserole to bake them in and while I was putting the ramekins into the casserole I noticed that the edges curve in a bit around the outside which give a slight slant to the ramekins at the outside of the casserole. Must I use a glass casserole or would my new flat-bottomed roasting pan work just as well? Thank you!! I can't wait to use my kitchen torch!!!! What a wonderful Christmas gift!! :D

Any oven-proof casserole (or any other pan) dish will work fine. You are correct that the flatter it is the better; however if the one you used didn't cause the creme brulee to cook on a slant then that is fine as well. We only used a glass casserole dish in the video so that people could see.

Hope this answers your question - good luck and happy first time.

I made this the other night. The recipe is sooo quick and easy.

One thing, however, they say is an option is the orange zest. My recommendation: USE IT. It adds so much more of a complex flavor that you'll love it. Also, if you are a huge fan of vanilla like I am, use a dab of extract to compliment the seeds from the bean.

Some were difficult in setting. Please note that if you think it doesn't look set and you think it'll set in the fridge, DON'T COUNT ON IT. Make sure you get it to set before it comes out of the oven. Just take out the ones that have set aka the even jiggle.

until next recipe !!

Have fun !!

I made this for the first time ever last night for my wife and she said it was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't have tried it if it was not for the confidence I had after watching the video.

Even though it took mine 35 minutes to cook vs. the 25 listed, I never worried thanks to the visual cues provided in the video about the "wiggle" of the custard. I knew I was on track.

Someone asked about torches. I used a MAPP gas torch and it worked great. It's the one in the hardware store in the yellow canister next to the blue propane ones. It burns about 1400f hotter the propane and made quick work of the sugar.

I have the torch for lighting lump charcoal for grilling. It's the fastest way to get it lit and doesn't include any smelly chemical odors like lighter fluid.

I just used 6 egg whites for a different recipe and my father in law is coming into town a couple weekends from now. I immediately put the yokes in a container and refrigerated them (this is a day ago). Can I freeze them to use when I make the creme brulee or should I just cut my losses and use new?
Thanks!!

Pastry shops and professional kitchens usually have an excess of whites or yolks and never throw out the excess. It is ok to keep cracked eggs in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and then use them, but only if they are going to be cooked through.

It is fine to freeze egg whites or egg yolks. Simply thaw them in the refrigerator. Once thawed, use immediately. Again, these eggs should only be used in products where they will be cooked. Hope this helps!

Hi: I was looking into a torch for this dessert and came across this:

The thing you do NOT want (and probably won't get if you don't go looking for
it) is MAPP gas, which is propane with rocket fuel added to it, burns at an
extremely high temperature, stinks real bad, is probably very bad for you, and
always comes in a yellow canister. It's also about 4x more expensive than propane
and has the word MAPP prominently on its label, so it's hard to go wrong.

If this is correct, I wouldn't think it's a very good idea for the home cook. Do you have an opinion on this? It was mentioned by Chris G.

Thanks.

I have also heard that the MAPP gas is not the one you want to use, but I am not an expert when it comes to this stuff. I use a propane torch from Benzomatic.

Perhaps there is someone else that has an opinion here, but for now Judi I would stick with the propane canister. Cheers!

What about use Grand Manier or Controy instead of orange zest? Do the alchohol has any adverse effect? Do I need to consider something during preparation?

You can use either of these instead of the orange zest. You can also leave the zest in if you like.

No special changes or adjustments during preparation. I would suggest only using about a tablespoon or so of either liqueurs; just enough to lightly flavor the cream. Cheers!

I was wondering if using the broiler if a toaster oven would work instead of a torch?
Thanks
~Christine

A propane torch is ideal for caramelizing the sugar on top of the custard. You can control the heat and spread it around the surface to quickly caramelize the sugar. They are quite inexpensive and worth the few dollars to ensure success.

Do not use a toaster oven - they are usually not hot enough. You will run the risk of melting the custard before the sugar on top becomes caramelized and wind up ruining your dessert. You can try the broiler in your oven, but make sure it is very very hot. Some home broilers just can't get hot enough. Again, you may run the risk of the custard melting before the sugar is caramelized. I don't think it's worth it - sometimes certain tools are required for the best results. Cheers!

This recipe and video is incredible. I have just eaten ny fourth batch and have a few comments. I'd appreciate any reactions. First and every time, I have used Triple Sec for the orange flavor. After the vanilla bean in the first batch, I have been cheating and using a half teaspoon of pure vanilla extract which has eliminated the straining and making this very easy to prepare. I found in the first two batches, 20 minutes produced a very firm custard which was creamy but not the velvety smooth texture of good restaurant creme brulee. So, I reduced the cooking time to 18 minutes and allowed the ramakins to remain in the hot water for an additional minute outside the oven - and it turns out perfect.

After chilling, I found just before torching, that if I dip my finger in water an lightly coat the surface of the creme brulee, I can add the sugar, swirl it around then dump the excess while a perfect amount of sugar sticks to the wet surface for immediate torching.

So that's my two bits - any comments would be welcome. What an incredible recipe.

Hi John,

It doesn't sound like you cheated at all! It sounds like you are using your intuition and common sense to guide you and find what works for you.

All ovens are different, so your adjustments with cooking time have proven to work. As far as the substitutions go, it's all about experimenting and trying different things. Glad that you didn't make the flavors too crazy though - sometimes people get carried away with changing a classic way too much.

Overall, nice job! Glad to hear you are having great success in the kitchen. Happy Cooking!