Cold-Oven Crème Brûlee
- Makes4-5 servings
- Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
- Active time plus cooling20 minutes active, plus refrigeration
- 1
Made the classic way, yolk-rich crème brûlée is baked gently in a water bath. But we found we could skip the fuss of that by simply starting the custards in a cold oven. We pour the mixture into ramekins set on a wet towel in a baking dish to insulate the bottoms, then slip them into a cold oven and only then set the temperature to a cool 275°F. In about an hour, the custards are done. We also took a lighter approach to the notoriously rich dessert by using equal parts heavy cream and half-and-half instead of only cream. The custards can be baked, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to three days. After the sugar is brûléed, they will hold, uncovered, in the refrigerator for only about an hour. A digital instant-read thermometer is the best way of testing the doneness of the custards. You will also need a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar. This recipe can be doubled; use a rimmed baking sheet lined with the wet towel to hold the ramekins. Lastly, if you opt for shallow crème brûlée dishes—the kind used in restaurants—reduce the baking time to 30 to 35 minutes and, when brûléeing, sprinkle the surface of each with about 1½ teaspoons sugar.
Don’t whisk the egg yolks and sugar vigorously. Whisk gently and only until combined to minimize the amount of air that is incorporated. Over-aeration will result in baked custards with a dryish, foamy layer on the surface.
Step 1
Soak a kitchen towel with water, then lay it over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, folding it as needed so it fits. Arrange four 6-ounce ramekins or five 4- to 5-ounce ramekins on the towel, evenly spaced.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and 54 grams (¼ cup) sugar just until combined; do not whisk vigorously and aerate the mixture. Add the cream, half-and-half and salt; whisk to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a fine-mesh strainer set over a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract and vanilla powder (if using), then pour into the ramekins.
Step 3
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Place the pan in the oven and set the temperature to 275°F. Bake until the centers of the custards reach 175°F to 180°F, 45 to 60 minutes; when the pan is gently shaken, the custards will jiggle like Jell-O at the very center. Remove from the oven and transfer the custards from the pan directly to a wire rack. Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled and set, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
Step 4
To brûlée, uncover the custards and set them on a rimmed baking sheet on a wire rack; this will protect the counter when caramelizing the sugar with a kitchen torch. Sprinkle each custard with a slightly rounded 1 teaspoon sugar, then tilt the ramekin to evenly spread the sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until deep golden brown. Serve immediately or refrigerate uncovered for up to 1 hour.
