This easy crème brûlée recipe yields a restaurant-quality dessert at home. It is rich, creamy, and comes together with just a few simple ingredients, making it perfect for beginners – best of all, you don’t need a water bath.
Ingredients for an Easy Crème Brûlée
- 200ml double cream
- 2 egg yolk
- 30g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence (paste or pod)
Steps for making a Crème Brûlée without a water bath
1. Preheat Oven
Set your oven to 160°C fan.
2. Mix Yolks and Sugar
Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and smooth.
Undermixed
Mixed till pale
3. Heat the Cream
In a saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream with vanilla until steaming (don’t boil).
4. Temper the Eggs
Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolks while whisking continuously. Use a damp cloth on the bottom of your bowl to prevent it from moving while you whisk.
5. Pour and Bake
Strain the mixture into ramekins and cover with foil. Place your Crème Brûlée on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes (no water bath needed!).
Remove the foil and leave them in the oven for an additional 10 minutes before removing to cool at room temp.
6. Chill
Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
7. Caramelise the Sugar
Sprinkle sugar evenly and torch until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips for making an easy crème brûlée
Use shallow ramekins
Shallow ramekins will allow for even baking, but be sure to bake for the least amount of time – around 20 minutes.
If you don’t own shallow ramekins, ones with more depth would work as well – just be sure to increase the time to around 30 minutes and check on the crème brûlée around 25 minutes in.
Make the day before
Make the crème brûlée the day before you need it so it can chill overnight, ensuring it sets completely and saving you time.
Add a vanilla pod to the cream
Scrape out the seeds of a vanilla pod and add both to the cream when heating. This improves the flavour and adds to the aesthetic when you can see the vanilla in the custard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can I make crème brûlée without a torch?
Yes! Add a thin layer of sugar and heat a metal spoon before gently pressing it against the sugar to melt it. Add a second thin layer of sugar and repeat. This will give you a thick enough caramel top to crack.
You can also use your oven’s broiler on high. Be sure to let the oven heat fully before placing your desserts in it, and keep an eye on it to avoid burning the sugar. (I would recommend doing this as a last resort because it can reheat your Crème Brûlée, turning it back into a custard.
Q2: Why is my crème brûlée runny?
Your crème brûlée likely wasn’t baked long enough. It should jiggle slightly in the centre when done, but not slosh.
Q3: How can I store my crème BRÛLÉE?
Cover your crème brûlée with plastic wrap (without the sugar top) and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Easy Crème Brûlée (no water bath)
Ingredients
- 200 ml double cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence (paste or pod)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan (180℃ Convection).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and smooth.
- In a saucepan, heat the double (heavy) cream and vanilla over medium heat until steaming (do not boil).
- Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the warm cream into the yolks, whisking constantly.1
- Strain the mixture into 2 ramekins through a fine mesh sieve for an extra-smooth custard.
- Cover your ramekins with foil and place them on the middle shelf of your oven.
- Bake (no water bath!) for 20-30 minutes2, until the edges are set and the centre slightly jiggles. Turn off your oven, remove the foil and let the Crème Brûlée sit in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove your Crème Brûlée from the oven and let it cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons of sugar on top of each custard and caramelise with a kitchen torch until golden and crisp.3
- Serve immediately and crack that sugar top!
Notes
- Place your mixing bowl onto a damp cloth when mixing to avoid the bowl slipping.
- This will depend on the depth of your ramekin.
- If you do not have a kitchen torch – Heat a metal spoon and place it gently over the sugar to caramalise.