Easy Crème Brûlée (no water bath)
This simple crème brûlée skips the traditional water bath while still delivering a silky-smooth custard and a crisp caramelised top. Made with just a few basic ingredients, it’s an elegant dessert that’s surprisingly easy to prepare. Perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a fuss-free way to enjoy a classic French favourite.
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.