3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée Classic (Print Version)

Silky custard dessert with crisp caramel crust, crafted from cream, egg yolks, and sugar.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Custard

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 4 large egg yolks
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

→ Topping

04 - 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven temperature to 325°F.
02 - Warm heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
03 - Whisk together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened.
04 - Gradually add warm cream to egg yolks while whisking continuously to prevent curdling.
05 - Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl for a smooth texture.
06 - Portion custard evenly into four 6-ounce ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins in a deep baking dish and fill with hot water halfway up their sides.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until custards are set but with a slight wobble in the center.
09 - Remove ramekins from water bath, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 1 hour.
10 - Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over each custard before serving.
11 - Use a kitchen torch to melt sugar until golden and crisp; alternatively, broil watching carefully. Allow 1 to 2 minutes to harden.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The crack of that caramelized sugar crust against silky custard is one of the most satisfying textures in existence
  • You get to look like someone who knows fancy French techniques while actually doing very little work
02 -
  • Overbaked custard turns into a weird rubbery pudding so pull them out when the center still wobbles like loose pudding
  • The straining step feels fussy until you skip it once and immediately understand why pastry chefs bother
03 -
  • Set your ramekins in a dish of hot tap water while you prepare everything so they are not shockingly cold when the custard goes in
  • Leftover egg whites freeze perfectly for future meringues or just freeze them and forget about them until you feel ambitious
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