Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Infuse the cream: Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the heavy cream and the fine sea salt. Take a sharp paring knife, split the vanilla bean directly down the middle lengthwise, and use the back of the knife to scrape out the thousands of tiny, fragrant black seeds. Add both the seeds and the empty vanilla pods to the cream. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer (do not let it boil). Remove from heat immediately, cover the pot, and let it steep for 30 minutes to extract every ounce of vanilla flavor.
2. Prepare the yolks: While the cream is steeping, place the 5 egg yolks and the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns very pale yellow, thickens slightly, and falls in a ribbon when you lift the whisk.
3. Temper the eggs (The crucial step): After the cream has steeped, remove and discard the empty vanilla pods. Return the cream to a bare simmer. Now, you must temper the eggs to prevent scrambling them. While whisking the egg yolk mixture constantly and furiously, slowly drizzle in about 1/2 cup of the hot cream. Once the yolks are warmed up, slowly pour the remaining hot cream into the bowl in a steady stream, whisking constantly until completely combined into a smooth custard base.
4. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Place four shallow, wide ramekins (about 6 oz each) into a large roasting pan.
5. Strain the custard: Pour the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or pitcher. This catches any coagulated bits of egg and ensures a silky-smooth texture. Skim off any excess foam from the top of the liquid.
6. Pour and bake in a water bath (Bain-Marie): Carefully divide the strained custard evenly among the ramekins in the roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Pull the oven rack halfway out, place the roasting pan on the rack, and carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches exactly halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be incredibly careful not to splash water into the custard.
7. The gentle bake: Push the rack back into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. You must check them frequently. The custards are perfectly done when the edges are set, but the center still jiggles like firm gelatin when you gently tap the side of the ramekin. If the center is liquid, bake longer. If it doesn't jiggle at all, they are overcooked and will be grainy.
8. Cool and chill: Carefully remove the ramekins from the hot water bath using tongs. Let them cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Once cooled, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until the custard is ice cold and fully set.
9. The Brûlée (The Burnt Cream): Remove the cold ramekins from the fridge just before serving. Use a paper towel to gently dab away any condensation on the surface of the custard. Sprinkle exactly 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly across the entire surface of each custard in a thin, complete layer.
10. Torch the tops: Ignite your culinary butane torch. Hold the flame about 2 inches away from the sugar. Move the torch in a continuous, slow, sweeping circular motion. The sugar will melt, bubble violently, and quickly caramelize into a deep, dark amber pool. Do not hold the torch in one spot or it will burn and turn bitter. Let the sugar crust sit for exactly 3 minutes to cool and harden into a glass-like sheet before serving. Crack with a spoon and enjoy the contrast.