Baked custard topped with torched sugar to form a lovely crunchy crust. That is creme brulee.
My family loves leche flan. They like the custard to be smooth and creamy but they’re not very particular about the caramel syrup topping. So, I thought I’d introduce them to another kind of topping. Made from sugar just like the traditional syrup but something crunchy that actually forms a crust. In short, I made creme brulee for Noche Buena. It was really all we had for Noche Buena because we were still too full from the ox tongue with corn that we had for dinner just a few hours earlier.
The custards were prepared and cooked hours earlier. They had been chilling in the fridge since before dinner time and, by 11.30 p.m., they were nicely firm and waiting for the crunchy sugar topping. We took a break from our Scrabble game, Speedy and Sam took turns in torching the sugar while I took photos.
Note that there are many ways of forming the crunchy topping. If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can place the sugar-topped cold custard under the broiler to melt and caramelize the sugar. Or you can flambe the custard by pouring brandy or rum over it and setting the alcohol to flame. This recipe uses a kitchen (butane) torch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 heaping tablespoons white sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Start by scalding the cream and the vanilla extract. “Scalding” means gently heating, over low heat, and without allowing to reach boiling point.
- While the cream scalds, add the white sugar to the egg yolks.
- Mix together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. DO NOT BEAT.
- Take about half a cup of the heated cream and pour into the egg-sugar mixture. Mix. You are tempering the egg yolks at this point so that they do not cook and curdle. When the mixture is smooth, pour in the rest of the cream. MIX WITHOUT BEATING so that bubbles do not form. Bubbles are the most serious nemesis of custard and you really want to keep them away.
- Pour the mixture into ramekins. Dot the surface with a tissue to get rid of bubbles formed while pouring.
- Place the ramekins in baking dishes and pour boiling water into the baking dishes halfway up the height of the ramekins. Be careful not to let any water drip into the ramekins.
- Bake the custards for 30 to 35 minutes. Immediately remove from the water bath and cool for about 10 minutes before putting in the fridge. Chill for at least three hours.
- Spinkle the brown sugar over the cold custards. Level off with the back of a spoon.
- Turn on your kitchen torch and start melting the sugar. Use circular motions, going slow and watching the sugar as it melts and caramelizes. It’s an amazing process, really, seeing the sugar turn to the color of amber then getting darker. The tiny brown spots grow bigger and darker as you keeping spraying the surface of the custard with heat. It’s fun torching the sugar, that’s why Speedy and Sam took turns doing it, but remember that there is a thin, thin line between perfectly caramelized sugar and burnt sugar, and burst sugar tastes terribly bitter. So don’t have too much fun with the kitchen torch.
- As soon as one custard is done, move to the next. And repeat the process… Going ’round and ’round until the topping is nicely covered with brown spots.
If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.
Hello and welcome! I'm a retired lawyer and columnist, wife for 28 years, mom of two, and a passionate cook. What is this blog about? Recipes for dishes 
Butterscotch brownies with 3 nuts and drunken raisins
Oh god I just found your blog and I’m already in love. This looks delicious and a lot simpler than I thought. I’ll try it some time!
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!
Same to you. :) Hope you get to enjoy everything else that you find in the blog.
Dear Connie,
Merry Christmas and have a happy holiday !
Your cream brulee looks so delicious ! I would like to try it sometimes, but we don’t have an oven .Can I use a microwave instead. If yes how will i do it ?
You can steam it. Just make sure the condensation doesn’t drip back into the custards.
Hi Ms Connie,
Would one vanilla pod be enough for this recipe? Thanks
Yes. Just right.
Yummy! Ms. Connie.
Me and my sister were talking about creme brule, I told her that it is simply a leche flan but with a french name. Instead of making the “Keping” under it, you blow torch it and the sugar is on top. I am planning to cook the same for the new year. We had Crema de Fruta for Christmas.
Thank you for your response. This time is Happy New Year to you and your family.
Hello Miss.Conie
I love to make this Creme Brulee but my problem I don’t have kitchen torch.Any suggestion how can I do this?
I am now in thailand and wonder where i can get this kitchen torch.
Hope to hear from you and Thank you.
The alternative is already in the entry.
Hi Connie,
I wonder how your kitchen looks like.. it should be really nice and complete!
im beginning to love your site.. I am 1 of your fans online.
Its only now that I have made a comment.
Your site is such a blessing to anyone who wants to learn fun, simple cooking.
God bless.
Cherry
Here, have a look:
Welcome to my kitchen!
Building an outdoor kitchen
The kitchen we built in our old house
ms connie, is it ok to stir the cream while it scalds?
thank you
Why would you want to stir it?
ms connie, kasi parang medyo may lump.
sorry ms connie, i forgot to mention na nagawa ko na yung recipe, aside from the lump during scalding eh tumitilamsik…parang mantika. over low heat lang naman. i plan to make this again. baka kaya kailangan lang haluin during this process.:-)
If there was a lump that means it already reached boiling point. Scalding means not allowing it to reach boiling point.
hi ms.connie, anything to substitute cream with?
im in the states, & all i see is half&half, heavy whipping cream, sour cream. hehe
when i was in the philippines, all i do is buy nestle all purpse cream. eh wala nman dito…
tnx for the help.:)
All-purpose cream is called single cream or whipping cream in other countries.
aahh ok…thanks . :)
Hello Ms. Connie!
I was trying to look for a kitchen torch last weekend and couldn’t find one in SM’s kitchen/home portion. Just want to ask where I can buy a kitchen torch? Thanks so much! :)
Love your blog! :)
At Gourdo’s.
hi ms. connie!
question, if i use vanilla bean, do i still need to strain the milk?
No, you just get rid of the vanilla skins.
dear connie,
what do you mean cream? will nestle all purpose cream do or do you have a specific brand i can use? thanks and merry christmas!
Just cream. Any brand.
Hi Miss Connie,
I’ve inquired at Gourdo’s, if they still have kitchen torch but unfortunately it was currently not available. Do you know any other store or supplier of this tool here in Philippines?
Thanks.
zizi
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