No Fail Decadent Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Before my surgery, if I was going to have a dessert, it was going to be creme brûlée. When I’d go to a restaurant, if I saw it on the menu, I would eat less so I had room. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than this dessert. So when my husband and I began to plan our Temple Sealing, I knew that I had to serve this as the dessert for our luncheon. Luckily for me, it is super easy to make too.

The History of Creme Brulee

Recorded in its French form for the first time in 1691, creme brulee has always been a simple combination of cream, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla, topped with a disc of hardened caramel which needs to be cracked through to access the dessert. Claims of origination come from England and France, but whatever its place of birth, it is the iconic combination of smooth and crunchy that has kept the creme brulee unchanged for centuries.

And the best part – for as fancy as it looks, creme brulee is one of the easiest desserts I’ve ever made. And one of the tastiest. After you’ve made it once, your imagination will run wild with the different things you can do. My oldest son has already asked me to make this for his 16th birthday in the flavor pumpkin spice. No arguments from me, I promise you.

Do I Need a Torch?

Some cooks use a culinary torch to caramelize the sugar or “brûlée” it. Technically you don’t have to, but it is classic and kind of fun. Your guests or family members will marvel at your culinary prowess. You also have predictable control with a torch that I personally find comforting. Or you could follow the advice of the very wise and talented Alton Brown. In a cold oven, turn your broiler to high Place the rack near the burner and slide your custards in. The custard will remain cool while the top get delightfully caramelized. But you have to watch – sugar goes from caramel to charcoal in a split second.

Make As Much As You Need

This recipe scales VERY well.  I made it for 36 people for the temple sealing reception last week.  Make as much as you want, and save some for yourself too.

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Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

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Course

Dessert

Cuisine

French

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste (Buy Here)
• 1 cup sugar divided
• 6 large egg yolks

Course Dessert Cuisine French Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 quart heavy cream 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste (Buy Here) 1 cup sugar divided 6 large egg yolks

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Instructions

1. Preheat the a water bath to 176 °F / 80 °C.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until smooth and just starting to lighten in color.
3. Add heavy cream and vanilla bean paste to the egg mixture, and mix until combined.
4. Fill each jar until 1/4 inch from the jar threads, pouring in a slow, low, steady stream.
5. Place the lid on the jar. Twist lid on just until "fingertip tight". To accomplish "fingertip tight", place lid on the jar and twist barely until you feel the lid starting to resist. Turn the lid back one turn in the opposite direction, then back the original way one turn. This prevents the lid from being too tight, trapping air in which might crack your jar.
6. Place jars into the sous vide water bath and cook for one hour. I use a canning jar lifter to add them to the bath and later to remove them.
7. Remove jars from the bath and rest at room temperature. Once the jars can easily be handled (about room temperature), place them in an ice bath to cool the rest of the way, then tighten their lids and store in the fridge for up to a week.
8. Thirty minutes before service, remove jars and set on the counter to warm up. Sprinkle a layer of sugar over the surface of the custard, the more you use the thicker your crust will be.
9. Using a culinary torch or blow torch in your dominant hand and the jar in the other, hold the flame approximately 10-24 inches from the jar rotating the jar evenly to get all that sugar. The closer the jar, the hotter the flame will have an effect, so if it starts to caramelize too much, just move it further from the jar.

   
10. Once the sugar is the color you want it, allow caramelized sugar to set-up, about 5 minutes. Then serve.

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