Mini Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• 500 ml Heavy cream (crème liquide) (Use full‑fat cream for the richest texture.)
• 250 ml Whole milk (lait entier)
• 1 bean Vanilla bean (Black Gold Madagascar) (Split lengthwise and scrape seeds; the pod is also infused.)
• 4 pieces Egg yolks (Use large eggs; separate carefully to avoid any white.)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 80 g for custard, 20 g for topping (use brown sugar for topping).)
• 1 tsp Vanilla sugar (sucre vanillé) (Optional, adds extra vanilla flavor.)
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar (cassonade) (For the caramelized topping; apply in thin layers.)

Instructions

1. Heat cream, milk and vanilla

   In a saucepan combine the heavy cream, whole milk, the scraped vanilla seeds and the split vanilla pod. Heat over medium heat until just before boiling, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Just below boiling

2. Infuse vanilla

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let the vanilla infuse for 20 minutes. For an even deeper flavor you can let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT20M

3. Strain and discard pod

   After infusing, remove the vanilla pod and pour the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl to catch any stray seeds.

   Time: PT2M

4. Whisk yolks and sugar

   In a mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar and vanilla sugar until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.

   Time: PT5M

5. Temper the egg mixture

   Slowly pour the warm vanilla‑infused cream into the yolk mixture in two equal portions, whisking constantly. Pass the combined custard through the sieve to ensure smoothness.

   Time: PT5M

6. Portion into ramekins

   Place four ramekins in a large baking dish. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins using a ladle or a pour‑spout.

   Time: PT2M

7. Prepare bain‑marie

   Fill the baking dish with hot water until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

   Time: PT2M

8. Bake the custards

   Place the baking dish in a pre‑heated oven at 120 °C and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centre still trembles slightly.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: 120°C

9. Cool and chill

   Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Then refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours (or overnight) to set fully.

   Time: PT3H30M

10. Add sugar topping

    Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of brown sugar over each custard.

    Time: PT2M

11. Caramelize with torch

    Using a kitchen torch, melt and caramelize the sugar until a golden‑brown crust forms. Repeat the sprinkling and torching two more times, each time using slightly less sugar for a uniform layer.

    Time: PT5M

12. Serve

    Serve the mini crème brûlée immediately after torching for the best crackly texture.

    Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

0 g