Crème Brûlée
This French dessert builds double cream, egg yolks and vanilla pod into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 55 minutes. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and saucepan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Split the vanilla pod, scrape the seeds into the cream along with the empty pod, bring slowly to just below a simmer, then take off the heat and steep for 15 minutes to infuse.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar and a pinch of salt until pale, then pour the warm cream over in a thin stream while whisking constantly so the yolks temper rather than scramble.
- Strain the custard through a fine sieve, skim off any foam, and divide between four shallow ramekins set in a deep roasting tin.
- Pour hot water into the tin to reach halfway up the ramekins and bake at 150 C for 30 to 40 minutes until the custards are set at the edges but still wobble slightly at the centre.
- Lift the ramekins from the bain-marie, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until firmly chilled.
- Blot the surfaces dry, sprinkle an even layer of demerara over each, and scorch with a blowtorch until the sugar melts into a deep amber crust, then let it harden for a minute before serving.
You'll use: Oven · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Double Cream
- heavy cream · whipping cream
What to serve with Crème Brûlée
- Baguette Vegan
- Croissant Vegetarian
- Galettes Bretonnes Pork
- Gratin Dauphinois Side
Tips & common questions
How long does Crème Brûlée take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of double cream?
Try heavy cream. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Crème Brûlée vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Crème Brûlée is an original French recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Ustensile pour crème brûlée.jpg by Celeda, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.