Vanilla is the traditional flavoring, but if you love Crème Brûlée, don’t miss our Espresso Creme Brulee and even Pumpkin Creme Brulee. You’ll have a favorite for every season!
Ingredients
Below is a quick overview of the 4 simple ingredients you’ll need to make the perfect creme brulee. Don’t forget to refer to the full ingredient details in the recipe card.
- Heavy Cream – Full-fat heavy cream will yield the creamiest custard.
- Egg Yolks – Egg yolks thicken the custard and add richness. You’ll need the yolks from 5 large eggs.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar is best, plus a pinch of fine sea salt to balance the sweet flavors. Don’t forget additional sugar for the caramelized topping.
- Salt – balances sweetness and makes the vanilla flavors shine. We didn’t always add salt but it’s even better!
- Vanilla – Natural vanilla flavor is a must. See below for more details on the types of vanilla we recommend.
What kind of Vanilla Should I use?
Vanilla creme brulee calls for the very best vanilla flavor: the real kind. Here are the options that work beautifully in homemade creme brulee:
- Vanilla Beans – These are long vanilla pods in their natural form. You’ll need to slice them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds then add to the cream while bringing to a simmer.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – This is the liquid extract from the vanilla bean. Make sure to use real vanilla extract, and not the artificial kind. You will taste the difference!
- Vanilla Bean Paste – Vanilla paste is thicker than vanilla extract and often contains flecks from the bean seeds. You’ll find this in the baking aisle in most major grocery stores. This is what I used in the video – it’s easy and looks fabulous with those little vanilla flecks.
How to Make Creme Brulee
Making vanilla creme brulee from scratch is a seamless, 5-step process:
