Ingredients for 6 People :
- 8 eqq yolks
- 80 g (1/3 cup) sugar; for the initial mixture
- 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream
- 6 ml (1 teaspoon) of vanilla extract
- 60 g (½ cup) sugar; for the caramel at the end
Main Course Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 150ºC (300ºf)
- Put the egg yolks and sugar into a large bowl. Mix (or whisk)
until the sugar is completely dissolved. At this point, the mixture
should be thick and pale yellow.
- Add the cream and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix them in
thoroughly.
- Strain the mixture into a bowl. The strainer will remove any
clumps in the mixture. Use a spoon to skim off any foam or
bubbles.
- Divide the mixture among 6 ramekins (see note on ramekins
below).
- Place the ramekins in a large pan and add water to the pan. The
water should be about half the height of the ramekin. Make sure
that you don't spin any water into the ramekins. Some people put
hot water (e.g. heat some up in a hot water kettle) into the pan
instead of cold water. This shortens the cooking time and in some
cases (depending on your ramekin) gives a more even finish.
- Put the pan in the preheated oven until the custard is set at the
edges of the ramekins but still loose in the centre . In other words,
the custard should be firm at the edge of the ramekins, but like
jello in the centre. This will take about 50-60 minutes, with the
exact time depending on the shape and size of the ramekins.
- Remove from the oven. Take the ramekins out of the pan and
allow them to cool for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops
of each custard (the sugar should be divided evenly among the 6
ramekins).
- Melt the sugar until it starts to caramelise (the sugar turns
brown, but not black). This is best done with a small hand-held
torch. If you don't have a torch, put them under the oven grill
until the sugar caramelises.
- Put the ramekins back into the fridge for a few minutes before
serving, to allow them to cool.
Preparing in advance:
- This dish can be prepared in advance and stored for up to 2 days in a
refrigerator. In this case, complete all the steps except for adding the sugar to
the top and caramelising it; which should be done just before serving. This last
step cannot be done in advance, as the moisture in the custard will be absorbed
by the sugar, which will then go soft. This is undesirable, as part of the
enjoyment of this dessert is the contrast between the hard sugar and the soft
cream underneath.
- If storing in the fridge, after cooking allow the ramekins to cool outside and
once cool cover with cling film (plastic film) to keep fresh. Them put in the
refrigerator. Of course, remove the film when you are ready to add the
caramelise sugar and serve.
- Traditionally, this dish is served at room temperature. Consequently, if you
are making it on the day you are serving, allow a couple of hours for it to cool
from the oven. Alternatively, if you have prepared it a day or two in advance,
remove it from the refrigerator before you sit down to eat, so that it will have
time to warm up before desert time. If it happens to be a bit too warm or too
cold, don't worry as it will still taste good.
History and Notes:
- Crème Brûlée is French for "Burnt Cream". If fact, neither the cream itself nor
the sugar on top are "burnt", although both are cooked.
- Although a torch is now the standard tool for caramelising the sugar, or
failing that an oven grill, at the time Crème Brûlée was first created neither
existed. Instead, a small round iron has heated and then placed on top to
caramelise the sugar (historical note: this iron was know as a "salamander").
This is a less controlled method than a torch or grill, so it is likely that some of
the cream or sugar on the top was burnt instead of being merely caramelised.
Perhaps this is where the "burnt" part of the name comes in. In any case, the
term "Brûlée" is used by the French for a variety of different desserts which
are toped with caramelised sugar.
- Various countries claim to have invented this recipe, including the French,
Spanish and British. In the UK, it is claimed by some that the dish was
invented in Trinity College in Cambridge. However, perhaps the earliest known
reference was France in the 1691 release of Massialot's cookbook. In any case,
there is a strong argument that the recipe was created in France. It is also true
that the recipe is more popular in France than anywhere else, being a standard
dessert offering in many French restaurants.
- This recipe is typically cooked in a small ceramic disk, known as a ramekin. A
ramekin is defined as: "a small dish, often white in colour, typically preferred
for the preparation and serving of various baked recipes". If you do not have
ramekins, other small oven dishes can be used instead. However, a small and
shallow ceramic dish is generally most suitable for two reasons: it allows an
even cooking of the cream which results in a smooth texture; it provides
individual sized portions. Following is a picture, courtesy of Wikipedia.
- Crème Brûlée is actually fairly easy to prepare. The only tricky thing is to
judge when it is cooked enough. The exact cooking time depends on the size and
shape of your ramekins. Once you've made the recipe successfully, simply note
the cooking time you've used and always use the same in future.
- If you are making this recipe for the first time and are unsure how long to
cook it for, simply cook for 50 minutes and then check every 10 minutes until
done. A good trick for checking when it is cooked is to stick a toothpick in the
centre; if it comes out clean (or with crumbs on it) then cooking is complete. If
it comes out wet then cook another 10 minutes and check again. Don't overcook
as the texture will become too firm rather than creamy.