Crème Brûlée on the Stove

This unfussy Crème Brûlée is the reliable combination of smooth, silky, rich filling and that crispy sugary top you love and expect from a old-school Crème Brûlée.

While it may appear complicated and intimidating, Crème Brûlée is genuinely quite simple to make. You only need a few simple ingredients and quite little prep time! The custard filling can even be made ahead of time and then you only have to finish off the topping right before serving. This perfectly portioned dessert tastes only as good as if it came from a fancy restaurant!

There is a specific process involved and a few tools set out (ramekins and a kitchen torch, both listed in the recipe, and I’ve linked to the exact ones I use), but I’ll walk you through the steps. I’ll also show you how to cook this WITH or WITHOUT a kitchen torch.

Ingredients needed

Only four particularly basic ingredients are needed to cook this. In fact, you may have them all in your kitchen right now! Here’s the lineup:

• Heavy cream. A must for that standout custard flavor.
• Vanilla. For savory flavor, use either a high quality vanilla extract OR 1 vanilla bean.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar will make this perfectly sweet without being overwhelming.
• Egg yolks. Using simply the yolks will yield a creamy, rich filling.

How to cook this method

1. Prep. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prep the baking supplies by finding casserole type dishes that your ramekins can fit into. I usually need to split my 6 ramekins between 2 casserole dishes. The dishes need to be deep enough that you can pour water into the bottom and have it come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. See video for reference.
2. Heat cream & vanilla. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and vanilla and bring heat over medium until the liquid gets to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean (if using).
3. Mix cream with egg yolks. In a large bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the sugar and egg yolks for 2 minutes until the yolks are lighter in color and everything is fully combined. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the cream into the egg mixture. Continue to whisk until all of the cream is added and everything is fully combined.
4. Pour mixture into ramekins. Divide the liquid evenly between the 6 ramekins and place them in the prepared baking dish(es). Boil water and pour it into the baking dish so that it comes halfway up the ramekins.
5. Cook. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. The sides of the Crème Brûlée should be lightly set but the middle will still be pretty wiggly (it will firm up in the fridge). See video for reference. Let cool slightly and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (I truly like to do this the night before) and up to a few days.
6. Use torch to crystalize sugar. When ready to serve: divide the remaining ½ cup of sugar evenly among the 6 ramekins and tilt them slightly all around so that the sugar is evenly distributed across the top. Using a kitchen torch, slowly work your way around the tops of the Crème Brûlée so that the sugar crystalizes and hardens, being careful not to burn the tops too much.
7. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Making this without a torch

You can make Crème Brûlée without a kitchen torch by broiling it in the oven. The crunch on top won’t turn out quite as good, but is surely doable in a pinch.

1. Preheat oven. Turn your oven to high broil and let it preheat for a few minutes.
2. Broil. Place the Crème Brûlée on a baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven and broil for 2-10 minutes, watching it PARTICULARLY closely so it doesn’t burn. Every oven’s broiler is different, so I recommend keeping an eye on it the whole time.
3. Serve. It’s done once the sugar has melted and starts to caramelize. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Expert tips

• Vanilla. An important ingredient in this dish is vanilla. You can either use a full vanilla bean (the inside seeds) or pure vanilla extract. If possible, we recommend using a vanilla bean because it adds an striking flavor. If you can’t get a vanilla bean, be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract.
• Crème Brûlée torch. It is possible to make Crème Brûlée without a chef’s blow torch, but the topping won’t caramelize as well or be quite as crisp, plus kitchen torches are simply especially fun. I highly recommend that you have one on hand. I have this kitchen torch and here is a more budget-friendly torch.
• Serving. This is welcome served only on its own, but if you’d like to add a lovely pop of color, a handful of fresh berries is great for presentation.
• Make ahead. This dessert can be made a few hours or up to a couple of days in advance. Bake and then cool completely. Once cool, wrap each ramekin in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, add the sugar and torch it.

Frequently asked questions

Storage recommendations

Leftovers can be stored and enjoyed later. Wrap each ramekin with plastic wrap and place them in your fridge. This will keep for up to about 3 days. It’s dependable to add the sugar topping only before serving, so it is nice and crusty. If you know that you will have leftovers, wait to add that only before serving.