Classic French Crème Brûlée — Vanilla Dessert with Crackling Caramel

Crème brûlée, which in French means “burnt cream,” is one of the most famous desserts of French cuisine. It calls for only a handful of ingredients, but it demands patience: the custard is baked slowly in a water bath, chilled thoroughly, and finally covered with a thin layer of sugar that is caramelized until golden brown. Here is the classic recipe to make it at home.

Ingredients (for 4 servings): 500 ml heavy cream; 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract); 5 egg yolks; 80 g granulated sugar; 4 teaspoons extra sugar for caramelizing the top; 1 pinch of salt.

Preparation: 1. Preheat the oven to 150°C and place 4 ramekins (small heatproof dishes) in a deep baking dish. 2. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Pour the cream into a saucepan with the bean, the vanilla seeds and the pinch of salt; heat until it just begins to simmer, then remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. 3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the 80 g of sugar until the mixture turns pale and creamy. 4. Pour the warm (not boiling) cream over the egg mixture, stirring constantly so the eggs don’t curdle. 5. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and divide it evenly among the ramekins. 6. Fill the dish with hot water to halfway up the ramekins (water bath) and bake 30–35 minutes, until the center of the custard still wobbles slightly when shaken. 7. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight). 8. Before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer over each and caramelize with a kitchen torch or under the oven grill for 2–3 minutes, until the sugar melts and turns golden. Let it set for 1–2 minutes and serve immediately.

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Baking time: 35 minutes. Chilling time: 2+ hours. Servings: 4. Tip: If you don’t have a kitchen torch, use the oven grill at maximum temperature, but keep a close eye on the surface — the sugar burns fast.