Classic Vanilla Creme Brulee for Two

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Classic Vanilla Creme Brulee (French for “burnt cream”) is the BEST Creme Brulee! It looks and tastes complicated with the sinfully rich, velvety-smooth custard and crusty, caramelized sugar topping.  However, it’s easy to make yourself and perfect for an intimate, romantic dinner for two at home.

This Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee recipe for two people is:

• Easy to make with only five basic ingredients! Once you get the hang of making Vanilla Creme Brulee you’ll love serving it for all your dinner parties and special occasions. Pulling out the kitchen torch to caramelize the tops is great theatre and entertainment!
• Make ahead! After baking and thoroughly cooling, vanilla creme brulee can be refrigerated for two days prior to caramelizing the sugar and serving.
• Luscious and lovely and your sweetheart will be so impressed!

How to Make Classic Vanilla Creme Brulee for Two:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make Classic Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee for Two. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Heavy Cream: Be sure to use heavy cream, not whipping cream. According to government labeling standards, heavy cream is to be no less than 36% milk fat. Heavy cream is sometimes referred to as heavy whipping cream. In contrast, whipping cream has a slightly lower milk fat content, ranging from 30–36%. It is sometimes called light whipping cream. Again, be sure to use heavy cream.
• Egg Yolks: You’ll need three egg yolks from large eggs (not medium, not jumbo).
• Granulated Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar to sweeten the Creme Brulee. You can also use it to caramelize the top, but I highly recommend using turbinado for that purpose because of the texture.
• Vanilla Bean: A vanilla bean is a splurge, but it’s so worth it! Vanilla beans are available in the spice section of most grocery stores.  While they are a splurge, using a vanilla bean delivers a true, intense vanilla flavor. You only need to use half a vanilla bean for two servings, so you have another half remaining for another purpose or two more servings of Creme Brulee. A teaspoon of real vanilla extract can be substituted. Avoid imitation vanilla flavor.
• Turbinado Sugar: Turbinado sugar is the product of slightly processed sugarcane. It’s a delicious, more natural sweetener with large, crunchy crystals and a mild caramel to-molasses flavor that’s perfect as a topping for Creme Brulee. Turbinado sugar is sometimes incorrectly labeled as “raw” sugar however it is lightly processed. As mentioned above, you can use plain granulated sugar on top, but the turbinado adds a lovely, crunchy rustic touch.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a rack in the center of your oven.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and keep that off to the side until needed.
• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer over high heat just until bubbles begin to form around the edges. (It does not need to fully boil.)
• Cut the vanilla bean in half widthwise then one of the halves in half lengthwise. (Reserve the other half for another purpose or another two servings of Creme Brulee.)
• Secure the tip of the vanilla bean half on a flat surface such as a cutting board with one hand and with a paring knife in your other hand, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean half. (Most of the seeds will remain on the knife.) Drop them into the hot cream.
• Repeat with the other half of the halved vanilla bean and drop the seeds and scraped pod halves into the cream. Give the cream a quick stir to loosen all the seeds. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.

• While the infused heavy cream is cooling, combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat until pale yellow and thick, approximately 4 minutes.

• Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl with the egg and sugar mixture.
• Strain the vanilla-infused cream mixture into the egg mixture.
• Press on the vanilla bean and scrape as many seeds as possible that may adhere to the sieve into the custard mixture. Whisk lightly until smooth without whipping too much air into the custard.

• Place a paper towel on the bottom of a baking pan or sheet pan large enough to hold the two ramekins. (This keeps the ramekins from slipping.) Set the ramekins on the paper towel.

• Fill each ramekin with even amounts of the custard mixture.
• Pour the boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the side of the ramekin, being careful not to splash any water into the mixture.

• IF USING A SHALLOW CLASSIC CREME BRULEE RAMEKIN AS SHOWN: Bake for 30 minutes or until set but still slightly loose. Gently shake the pan. The custard should wobble/move slightly but you should be able to very lightly touch the top of the custard without getting any on your finger. Keep in mind all ovens vary. The custards will firm up as they cool.
• IF USING A DEEPER RAMEKIN: You’ll need a deeper pan such as a cake pan instead of the rimmed baking sheet as shown. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until set but still slightly loose. Again, the custard should wobble/move slightly. Keep in mind all ovens vary. The custards will firm up as they cool.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
• Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to cool completely.
• MAKE AHEAD: To store longer than 2 hours, cover the top of the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If any condensation occurs on the surface after the custards cooled, carefully dab it off with a paper towel.

• Once the custards have cooled, sprinkle the top evenly with turbinado sugar. Using a propane torch or kitchen torch, carefully brown the top to caramelize the sugar to form a hard candy coating. Guide the flame of the torch back and forth until the top is caramelized to your liking. Cool thoroughly before serving.

• Garnish with fresh berries and serve!

How to Make Creme Brulee with Vanilla Extract:

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
• Warm the heavy cream as you would using a vanilla bean and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until pale and thick as shown above.
• Starting with a tablespoon or two, very gradually add small amounts of the warmed heavy cream to the eggs, gently whisking after each addition. This is called “tempering” the eggs. You don’t want to add all the cream at once or you could scramble the eggs.
• Place in ramekins and proceed with baking in the hot water bath and the other instructions.

How to Make Vanilla Creme Brulee Without a Torch (Broiler Method):

To make Creme Brulee without a kitchen torch, you’ll need to caramelize the sugar under the broiler. This can be a little trickier than using a kitchen torch, but it’s very doable.

• IMPORTANT: Do not preheat your broiler; start with a COLD oven.
• Place a rack in the highest position in your oven. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet on the rack then turn on the broiler.
• Let them sit under the broiler as it heats.
• Broil for 3 to 5 minutes. They may take less time or more time so keep an eye on them. (My broiler heats up fast and my test Creme Brulees were caramelized after 3 1/2 minutes.)
• Rotate the ramekins once so that they broil evenly.
• Take them out when they are golden brown and bubbling. Keep in mind the ramekin is going to be very hot!
• Let them cool. They can be served after they’ve cooled at room temperature.
• It’s traditional to serve Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee cold so you may wish to refrigerate them for about 30 before serving. Any longer and the sugar crust will begin to soften.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• Cutting the whole vanilla bean in half through the middle rather than cutting it in half lengthwise allows you to use the other half for another purpose. The small opening created by cutting it in half through the middle prevents the tiny seeds from drying out.
• Avoid using an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks and sugar to the thick, creamy and pale stage as that will incorporate too much air.
• Placing the ramekins on a baking sheet when caramelizing the top with your broiler will enable you to turn them more quickly.
• While a kitchen torch seems like a splurge, they can be used for numerous tasks such as fire-roasting tomatoes or peppers, melting cheese atop a dish or toasting and melting marshmallows for S’mores.

Storage:

• Store in the refrigerator with the sugar uncaramelized for up to 2 days. If the sugar has been caramelized, Creme Brulee will still store fine in the refrigerator but the sugar will soften up. Still good, though!

Serve with this lovely menu for two:

• Appetizer/Starter: Goat Cheese Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms served over fresh baby greens with Honey – Balsamic Dressing from this Roasted Beet Salad.
• French Onion Soup For Two
• Surf and Turf – Steak au Poivre and Broiled Lobster Tail
• Roasted Asparagus

More great dessert recipes you’ll love!

• Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
• Raspberry Ricotta Cake with Almonds
• Grilled Pound Cake with Balsamic Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream
• Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream and Honey Balsamic Drizzle

Get all my dessert recipes at: Dessert Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen