Crème Brûlée is the one dessert I always order. I had it for the very first time at Gatrilles in Johannesburg. That was in 1974 and 96 Winery Road still use that recipe. I rate a restaurant on the quality of their crème brûlée and make a huge batch whenever I need an easy dessert for guests. Over the years I have made so many different flavours of this dessert. It is why I like to do it for guests. I can change it up to be anything I want. And it is sure to impress. This is my no fail, go to recipe.
Crème Brûlée
Makes enough for: 8 people
Ingredients
- 8 egg yolks
- 110 g castor sugar
- 2 vanilla pods, split in half lengthwise
- 750 mls cream
- 250 mls milk
- 55 g demerara sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140° Celsius
- Place the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl and add the vanilla seeds and pods.
- Using a whisk, gently combine the mixture, then slowly stir in the cream and milk.
- Pass the mix through a sieve and divide between 8 small ovenproof dishes or ramekins (about 9cm in diameter and 2.5cm deep).
- Place in the oven and cook for about 1½ - 2 hours until set on the top.
- To check, move the dish and if the cream mixture still ripples, it's not cooked. (But over-cooking will cause the brûlée to crack on the top once cooked, so be careful).
- Remove from the oven and place in the fridge until set; normally about an hour.
- Dust the surface with the demerara sugar and grill until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Ingredients for my Crème Brûlée:
- Eggs – I buy free range extra-large eggs which in South Africa weigh between 59 and 66 grams (shell on weight).
- Caster Sugar – if you don’t have any caster sugar in your pantry, take ordinary granulated sugar and blitz it in a blender until fine
- Vanilla – if you don’t have vanilla pods you can use vanilla powder. 2.5mls for every pod in the recipe. I never use vanilla essence in my kitchen, I only use vanilla extract!
- Cream – I always keep a box of UHT whipping cream in my fridge for ‘in case’. Unless a recipe calls for cream in 250 ml measures I will use this over fresh.
- Milk – I use UHT full cream milk in my recipes as this is what we use most often at home.
- Demerara sugar – is raw sugar that is minimally processed. It has a golden-brown colour and large grains that give it a crunchy texture. If you cannot find this, substitute with coconut sugar.
I am submitting this recipe to Blue Kitchen Bakes Classic French Challenge
I enjoy it occasionally, yours looks perfect.
Beacuse of some of my recent guests being vegetarian, I couldn’t do your anchovy challenge in time, so I have re-posted an oldie here:
http://theonlycin.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/anchovies-capers-and-a-few-other-things/
thanks Cindy – I have had the tab open since yesterday – so very far behind in catching up.
Me too, if it’s on the menu I am having it – regardless of how full I am. I love the creamy softness of the custard and the crisp sweetness of the burnt sugar – heaven in the mouth.
your words are making me drool!
Sounds terrific! I’m always happy to find good new creme brulee recipes.
let me know if you try it!
Thanks for entering this into Classic French 🙂 Your creme brulee looks great.
my pleasure Jen 🙂