Easy Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Vanilla Crème Brûlée is the best make-ahead dessert – creamy, velvety and delicious beneath a hard shell of burnt sugar topping. Follow my easy Creme Brûlée recipe to make this heavenly French dessert in your air fryer or the oven.
Servings: 6
Calories: 392kcal
Ingredients
For the custard
- 400 g (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 250 ml (1 cup) cream heavy / double
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 large whole eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch salt
Topping
- 3 tsp sugar (or as needed)
Instructions
PREPARE THE CUSTARD
- Place the cream, sweetened condensed milk, whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla bean paste and salt into a mixing bowl. Use a balloon whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth.400 g (14oz) sweetened condensed milk, 250 ml (1 cup) cream, 3 large egg yolks, 2 large whole eggs, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, pinch salt
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine sieve. Divide the custard between six small ramekins.
COOK IN THE AIR FRYER
- Place the the ramekins into the air fryer basket, spaced slightly apart. Bake at 130°C (265°F) for 16-20 minutes, or until the custard is set at the edges but still has a bit of a jiggle in the middle.
- Transfer the ramekins onto a wire rack to cool then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
COOK IN THE OVEN
- Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F).
- Place the filled ramekins onto a deep baking dish, spaced apart. Pour boiling water into the dish (be careful not to splash the custard) until it reached halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the custard is mostly set with a little wobble in the middle. Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking sheet and allow to cool before chilling in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
FINISHING TOUCHES
- Sprinkle half to one teaspoon of sugar over the top of each ramekin, shaking to distribute into an even layer. Melt the sugar using a blowtorch until it is caramelised. Allow the sugar crust to cool and harden for a few minutes before serving.3 tsp sugar
Video
Notes
- Storage Tips
Fridge: Chill in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The caramel crust may soften slightly, but the magic returns with a quick re-torch. If sugar sets too hard, peel it off and gently reheat the custard with fresh caramelized sugar on top. - Freezing isn't ideal—custard texture is delicate and can turn grainy; best to make fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 307mg | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 873IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 0.4mg
