Can you use whole milk instead of heavy cream for creme brulee?

You can use whole milk instead of heavy cream, but it will affect the texture and richness of the final dish.

Do you have to use ramekins for creme brulee?

If you don't have ramekins, you can use a wide ceramic or glass dish or Mason jars instead. If you opt for the larger pan size, you'll need to increase the baking time.

What can I use if I don't have a kitchen torch for creme brulee?

You can use your oven broiler to caramelize the sugar. Do not preheat the broiler. Broil the custards for 5 to 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to make sure the sugar doesn't burn. You may want to rotate the custards frequently during the baking process to ensure they broil more evenly.

Classic Creme Brulee Recipe

Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is an easy and elegant dessert perfect for any occasion! Top the rich and creamy baked custard with fresh berries for a sweet treat that is sure to impress your guests.

Author: Ashley
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: French
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
additional sugar, for topping

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare six ramekins and a 9x13 pan (or whatever size will fit your ramekins) for baking the custard.
Add egg yolks to a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until pale in color.
In a saucepan, add cream, sugar, and salt. Whisk ingredients together. Cook the mixture over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved and the cream just begins to boil. Add in the vanilla.
Temper the egg yolks by pouring a small amount of the hot cream into the mixing bowl at a time. Whisk well after each addition of the cream. Continue adding the cream until it is fully incorporated into the egg yolks.
Evenly distribute the custard into the prepared ramekins. Set the filled ramekins into the prepared 9x13 pan. Fill the pan with boiling water until the ramekins are half submerged.
Bake the creme brulee for 35 to 45 minutes. Note that the custard will not be firm at this point.
Remove the ramekins from the oven, and place them in the refrigerator. Let cool for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Right before serving, sprinkle 1/2-3/4 tablespoons of sugar over the custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, torching it until the sugar has melted. You can also use your oven broiler if you don't have a food torch to bake the creme brulee for a few minutes or until the sugar has melted.
Serve creme brulee immediately with desired toppings.

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Keywords: creme brulee, custard, dessert

Creme Brulee

Ingredients

Instructions

Equipment

Notes