CREME BRULEE (Vanilla Bean)
- WineCheeseScallops
- Aug 29, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2024
Indulge in a Classic: Our Creamy Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Recipe!
Craving a luxurious dessert that's surprisingly easy to make at home? Our Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée is the perfect treat to impress your family and friends or simply indulge yourself. With its silky-smooth custard and perfectly caramelized sugar crust, this dessert brings a touch of elegance to any occasion.
In this recipe, we guide you step-by-step to achieve that delicate balance of creamy richness and crisp, crackling top. We use real vanilla beans to infuse the custard with an intense, aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with the deep caramel notes of the brûlée. And don’t worry if you don’t have a kitchen torch! We’ve got a simple trick using your oven’s broiler to get that perfect golden-brown topping.
Whether you're hosting a dinner party or looking for a special night-in dessert, this Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée is sure to wow. Top it off with fresh fruit for an extra burst of flavor and color, and you’ll have a dessert that's as beautiful as it is delicious. Give it a try and bring a bit of French sophistication to your kitchen today!
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The Secret Ingredient: Tara’s Homemade Vanilla Extract
One of the key ingredients that makes our Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée so irresistible is the homemade vanilla extract we use. There’s something truly special about incorporating a homemade touch into your cooking, and our vanilla extract adds an extra layer of flavor and love to every dish.
We have always loved making our own vanilla extract—it’s a simple process that results in a wonderfully aromatic and rich flavor, far superior to most store-bought versions. Made with just a few vanilla beans and some quality alcohol, this extract is a staple in our kitchen. It’s not only a fantastic way to enhance desserts like our crème brûlée, but also a thoughtful and personal gift that we love sharing with friends and family. Whenever a loved one receives a bottle, they know it comes with a dash of our passion for cooking and a sprinkle of her warmth.
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Making vanilla extract at home is surprisingly easy. All you need are a few vanilla beans (we used Madagascar vanilla beans), a bottle of vodka (or another neutral spirit), and some patience! Simply place the vanilla beans in a bottle, fill it with alcohol, and let it sit for at least a couple of months. The longer it infuses, the more robust and flavorful the extract becomes. And here’s a fun fact: as you use your homemade vanilla extract, you can top it off with more vodka and let it infuse further, creating a never-ending supply of this aromatic essence!
Tara believes that adding a homemade touch to your recipes can make all the difference, turning a simple dish into something truly memorable. So next time you’re baking or making a dessert, consider whipping up your own batch of vanilla extract. Not only will it elevate your creations, but it might also become your new favorite gift to share with loved ones!
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Discover the Origins of Crème Brûlée: A Timeless Dessert
Crème brûlée, with its creamy custard base and crisp, caramelized sugar topping, is a dessert that’s captured the hearts and taste buds of people around the world. Its name, French for "burnt cream," perfectly describes the delicious contrast between the silky, smooth custard and the crackling layer of caramelized sugar on top.
But where did this elegant dessert come from? Crème brûlée has a rich history that dates back to the 17th century, with roots in both France and England. The first known recipe for crème brûlée appeared in a French cookbook in 1691, credited to François Massialot, a chef in the court of Louis XIV. However, the dessert also shares similarities with England's "burnt cream" or "Trinity cream," traditionally served at Trinity College, Cambridge. Over time, crème brûlée evolved into the refined classic we know and love today, becoming a staple on dessert menus worldwide.
What makes crème brûlée so special is its simplicity. Made with just a few basic ingredients—cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla—it’s the careful preparation and the finishing touch of caramelized sugar that transform these humble ingredients into a luxurious treat. Whether you enjoy it plain or topped with fresh fruit, crème brûlée is a dessert that never fails to impress.
Next time you savor a spoonful of this delectable dessert, you’ll know a little bit more about its fascinating history and how it came to be a beloved favorite in kitchens and restaurants across the globe.
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Crème Brûlée (Vanilla Bean)
The Crème:
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
4 tbsp sugar (divided)
6 egg yolks
½ vanilla bean or 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Have your 8 oz ramekins or custard cups ready, along with a roasting pan and one piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, 2 tbsp sugar, and vanilla bean (split with seeds scraped into the liquid). Heat the mixture to just scalding (meaning to heat it to the moment just before it boils).
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and the egg yolks. Add a small amount of hot milk from your pan to the bowl of yolks and sugar, and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook until slightly thickened. Strain into a large bowl and divide the custard among the ramekins.
Place the cups in your roasting pan and add enough very hot water to bring it 1/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35–45 minutes (the custard should still jiggle a little but be mostly firm). Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
The Brûlée:
We like to use raw sugar to make the best caramelized top. Not everyone has a torch, so to make this simple, we use the broiler in our oven.
Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of sugar to coat the top of the custard. Place under the broiler until the sugar dissolves and starts to brown or caramelize. Here, we garnished ours with fruit.
We’re so excited for you to try this recipe! To make it even easier, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen tools that are super helpful for this recipe. By using our affiliate links below, you’ll not only be getting top-notch products but also supporting our blog, Wine Cheese Scallops. Thank you so much for your support—happy cooking!
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