Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée
Prep
15 mins
Cook
30 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
This is my go to dessert when I want to impress someone without spending all day in the kitchen. Salted caramel crème brûlée comes together in just 45 minutes total, and honestly, most of that is just waiting for the oven to do its thing. The combination of silky custard, buttery caramel, and that satisfying crack of the caramelized sugar top is pure magic. Plus, eggs are packed with choline, which is wonderful for brain health. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: you likely have most ingredients at home already, and there's no fussy technique required. Just whisk, bake, and chill. Trust me, your guests will think you're a pastry chef.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 400 mlheavy cream(none)
- 200 ggranulated sugar(none)
- 1 gsalt(none)
- 4 egglarge egg yolks(none)
- 100 gunsalted butter(melted)
- 1 mlvanilla extract(optional)
- 10 gflaky sea salt(none)
- 50 gcaramel sauce(store-bought or homemade)
- 20 ggranulated sugar (for caramelization)(none)
- 50 mlwater(none)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
Tip: Use a water bath for even cooking.
- 2
Whisk together the heavy cream, granulated sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot but not boiling.
Tip: Don't let it boil, as this can curdle the cream.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and melted butter. Temper the egg yolks by slowly pouring the warm cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.
Tip: This helps prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- 4
Strain the mixture into 4-6 ramekins or small baking dishes. Place the ramekins in a large baking dish and add hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Tip: This is called a water bath and helps cook the crème brûlée evenly.
- 5
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly jiggly.
Tip: Don't overbake, as this can cause the crème brûlée to curdle.
- 6
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature.
Tip: Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- 7
Just before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the top of each ramekin. Caramelize the sugar by using a kitchen torch to burn the sugar in a circular motion, or place the ramekins under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
Tip: Be careful not to burn the sugar too much, as this can make it too dark.
- 8
Drizzle the caramel sauce over the caramelized sugar and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Tip: Serve chilled, with the caramelized sugar on top.
- 9
Serve immediately, as the crème brûlée will start to weep caramel sauce if left at room temperature for too long.
Tip: This is normal, but it's still best to serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
- 10
Optional: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream mixture before straining it into the ramekins.
Tip: This will give the crème brûlée a more complex flavor profile.
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