Homemade Creme Brulee Recipe

[Saviolo]

A little bit back to basics this week! This is just a straight up basic crème brûlée based on the Julia Child method. We've scaled it down a little so that it's really only three servings, just in case you don't have an army to feed and you don't want to tempt yourself with all of that extra dessert! The recipe scales very well, and it's easy to just make three servings (two if each one is -very- generous).

We've basically done a bunch of custard videos all at once, though one of them didn't quite work out. We'll circle around and try that recipe again in the future, but you can see hints of it in this video.

It's easy to change the flavour profile of crème brûlée just by changing the flavourings that you use in the scalded cream. We popped a little segment of vanilla bean in there, and it made for a lovely rich vanilla flavour and all of those delightful little vanilla pips in the final product. You could also switch it up and scald the cream with a piece of a cinnamon stick, a couple of hole cloves, and a couple of allspice berries for a pumpkin-spice sort of flavour, or use some cardamom and star anise for different effects in the final dish.

[BlueDawn]

1. I will try this.....

I just purchased some ramekins for this very purpose and can't wait to try it.

Thanks so much. It looks delicious!

[Saviolo]

2. It is!

Just gotta take your time with tempering the egg yolks with the scalded cream, that's the only tricky bit. Whisk steadily, and stream it in very slowly to get that smooth, creamy result.

This one is based on the Julia Child recipe, but there's another one from Food Network's Tyler Florence that works extremely well, too. He uses powdered sugar or icing sugar instead of granulated sugar.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/creme-brulee-recipe1-1937584

[BlueDawn]

9. Wonderful advice!

I have made a lot of custards on the stove and learned to be really careful and slow when incorporating eggs. This is great advice!

About a month ago, I watched every single Julia Child show, one or two a night, many in black and white dating back to the 60s (if I recall correctly, and I was mesmerized. I learned about dishes I never even knew existed. I learned so much. I adore her!

I will check out the Tyler Florence recipe, too.

I appreciate your help with this. I can't wait to try it. I'll hop back on and tell you how it turns out.

[mercuryblues]

3. Thank you for this one

it came just in time. I will be making this on Sunday. Just one question, for now. The vanilla bean. Does it all break down in the cream or do you remove the bigger pieces?

[Saviolo]

4. The pod will not break down.

You can remove the pod once you've finished scalding the cream, and leave the little pips from inside. The flavour will have infused the cream and will give everything a lovely vanilla flavour. Alternately, you can just use vanilla extract.

[mercuryblues]

5. Thank you. That's what I thought

and just wanted to be sure. I'm like you, I like the little pips.

[Saviolo]

6. Yeah, it looks amazing

Makes it "feel" more authentic, too. But yeah, real vanilla is expensive but really lovely.

[MissMillie]

7. My favorite dessert

I once had a lemon creme brulee at Rialto in Cambridge, MA. It was served w/ fresh berries and a shortbread cookie. I'll never forget it.

I'll be bookmarking this. Thank you.

[Saviolo]

8. The classics are classic for a reason!

I love it, too. I once found a recipe for a pumpkin creme brulee in, I think, the Air Canada in-flight magazine En Route. One of the stunning wineries in the Niagara region here in Ontario did a whole meal spread with recipes in the magazine, and the dessert was a pumpkin creme brulee. It turned out amazingly good, but it's been years since I've had that recipe.

You add the pureed pumpkin to the eggs and sugar before you temper it with the scalded cream, and instead of vanilla, you add a piece of cinnamon, some allspice berries, and a couple of whole cloves to steep in the milk for the pumpkin spice flavour profile.