Crème Brule Dessert Recipe

This is my new favorite dessert, which is quite surprising since it’s not made with chocolate! It has such a smooth caramel taste – it melts in your mouth. I only discovered Crème Brule a couple years ago, and because of the superfood ingredients it’s made of, it’s not a bad choice for a dessert IF you’ve already decided to have that sweet treat. (I’m sure you’re sadly aware, as I am, NO sugar is good…) My favorite way to have it is in the summer with all sorts of fresh, local berries, and a big dollop of homemade real whipped cream.

I got this Crème Brule recipe from a couple soccer Mom friends, Julie & Maria. They assured me it was easy and delicious, and Mmmmm, they were right.

Crème Brule Dessert Recipe - I’ve tweaked the recipe a little here and there…

1. 3 cups whipping cream (preferably raw, but never ULTRA-pasteurized!)
2. 3/4 cup sugar – I tried using maple syrup for a more natural sweetener…YUM! (It tasted great, but didn’t set up as much as I’d have liked. I didn’t mind, but if you want yours to be more set, you may want to just use sugar. Although once it sat in the frig overnight it was about the consistency of pudding.)
3. 7 egg yolks (preferably from pasture-fed chickens)
4. 1 T. vanilla extract
5. 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (for the top)

Garnishes: fresh, local berries, preferably organic

• Combine cream and sugar/maple syrup over medium heat, stirring with a wire whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer, not a hard boil, for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Mix yolks and vanilla together well and slowly pour it into the cream & sugar mixture while continuously whisking. Pour custard evenly into 4-6 individual size buttered baking dishes. Place dishes in a large pan in enough water to come up the sides of the dishes part way.

• Bake at 300* for 30-45 minutes or until almost set. (Mine took more like 55 minutes.) Cool, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

• Sprinkle about 1-2 T. brown sugar evenly over each custard; place custards on a cookie sheet. (By the way, it’s good without this step, too…)

• Broil 5 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially opened) until brown sugar melts. Watch it closely. Let stand 5 minutes to allow sugar to harden.  (Update – See below for info on a better way to do this.)

Note: When the Crème Brule is done, the center will still be slightly liquid and a knife will not come out clean, but it sets up with time.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you have a torch, this is a much better way to caramelize the top without cooking the bottom more. Broiling can work, but you have to get the top really close to the heat so it only takes a short time. Look what I just found! A 5 Piece Crème Brule Set! I’m excited because I didn’t have this torch OR any ramekins, and it’s only $20 (as of this writing, anyway). I’m ordering it now, so if I ever actually feel like making it again (I’m so sick of it after experimenting for the huge group mentioned below), then I’ll have everything I need to make it just like they do at nice restaurants.

Recently I made this for a huge group by doubling the recipe and pouring it all into an 11×14 pan. We then scooped some into each person’s bowl, covered with mixed fruit (blueberries & strawberries), then topped with a big dollop of real whipped cream. Would’ve been perfect if the flame gun worked, but we had to broil it and then the bottom got bubbly…not good.

Something else I recently tried was an alternative to caramelizing the top that was pretty yummy: sprinkle sugared pecans all over it instead. I made this for Joe & Meg the other day when they had us over for dinner and it was a hit. (They’re even more particular than we are about food, so if it flies with them, you know it’s good!)

Tell me what you think!

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