No-Torch Crème Brûlée


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The simplest, easiest version of a simple, easy dessert — no butane torch or water bath required. No-Torch, No Bath Crème Brûlée (recipe is for one portion, …

23 replies
  1. Adam Ragusea
    Adam Ragusea says:

    Q: Why didn't you just do the hot spoon trick?
    A: Indeed, you can spread a layer of sugar over the custards, get a spoon extremely hot, and then press it into the sugar to caramelize it. If that works for you, great! Here's why I don't like it. 1) The best way to get a spoon that hot is by holding it over the flame from a gas stove. I, like most Americans, have electric; 2) If you're doing several custards, you have to keep heating the spoon back up. My method is very quick and easy for doing several custards at once; 3) It's actually kinda hard to get the spoon in there and around all the edges. Some people bend a spoon to a right angle to make it easier. Again, not a big deal if you're just doing one, but if you're making enough for a crowd, not convenient.

    Q: Isn't that just flan?
    A: In the sense that flan and crème brûlée are very similar desserts, sure. But no. Flan is a custard topped with caramel sauce. This is a custard topped with a hard caramel candy.

    Q: Can I do this with different sized ramekins?
    A: Possibly, but I haven't tested it. The no-bath method here makes it a bit more risky. Either do a test run when you don't have hungry people waiting, or use a water bath. If using a bath, I'd do 300 F, not 250 F. And I might do three egg yolks per two portions.

    Q: When you did the torch version, why didn't you do a second layer of sugar?
    A: Indeed, people will often spread a second layer of sugar down and blast it again with the torch. That gets you a smoother look and a thicker topping, which some people like. But I really prefer a very thin topping. Also this video isn't about the torch method.

    Q: Why didn't you use a real vanilla bean?
    A: I wanted to make this recipe as simple and easy as possible. Vanilla beans are very expensive and add a few additional layers of complexity to the process. It's best to precook your custard when using a vanilla bean, both to extract some flavor from the pod, and also get the custard more viscous so it'll hold the pulp in suspension. If you just put the pulp into a raw custard, the seeds will all settle to the bottom in the oven.

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  2. Christopher Richard Ross
    Christopher Richard Ross says:

    Ok. So, I tried this recipe with an oven thermometer. At 45 minutes, they were still liquid. Another 10 minutes…still liquid. Another 7 minutes and still liquid, but starting to firm up. I kicked up the heat to 275 Fahrenheit for 10 minutes and it was finished. The outsides of the creme brulee was a bit granular but the inside was very creamy. Why did it take so long to cook?

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