Creme Brûlée

This Crème Brûlée recipe combines silky vanilla custard with a thin, crisp layer of caramelized sugar for one of the most elegant desserts in classic French cuisine. Featured on Dinner in Paris with host Romain Avril, this luxurious dessert delivers the irresistible contrast of cool, creamy custard and a delicate caramel shell that cracks beautifully with every spoonful.

The Inspiration

Crème Brûlée is one of the most iconic desserts associated with classic French dining. Its name translates to “burnt cream,” a reference to the caramelized sugar crust that sits over the soft custard underneath. The contrast between those two textures is what has made the dessert such an enduring favourite.

On Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril celebrates dishes that reflect the elegance and craftsmanship of French cooking while remaining approachable enough to recreate at home. Crème Brûlée fits naturally into that philosophy. Its presentation feels sophisticated, yet the dessert is built from a handful of familiar ingredients and straightforward techniques.

This recipe brings the experience of a classic French restaurant dessert into the home kitchen with ingredients and techniques that reward patience and careful preparation. The moment a spoon cracks through the caramelized surface is one of the pleasures that makes Crème Brûlée so memorable. Underneath that brittle layer is a rich custard that feels creamy, delicate, and unmistakably indulgent.

Ingredients

• 500 ml heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 5 egg yolks
• 110 g granulated sugar, plus extra sugar for topping
  Pinch of salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 150°C / 300°F.
• Heat cream and milk with vanilla  and pinch of salt until just before simmering.
• Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale.
• Slowly whisk the cream mixture into the egg mixture.
• Strain and pour into ramekins. Bake in water bath for 45-60 minutes.
• Remove from the oven once set and slightly jiggly. Chill completely.
• Sprinkle sugar over the top and torch until caramelized.
• Let set for 2 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Crème Brûlée is also an excellent finale to a French-inspired dinner. After a savoury entrée, the cool vanilla custard offers a rich but elegant conclusion to the meal. The caramelized sugar adds sweetness without requiring a heavy cake, pastry, or dense chocolate dessert.

For entertaining, the custards can be baked and chilled ahead of serving, with the caramelized sugar topping completed closer to dessert time. This allows the custard to remain properly chilled while preserving the fresh crackle of the sugar crust.

Serve each ramekin with a small dessert spoon so guests can break through the caramelized topping themselves. That first crack through the sugar is part of what makes Crème Brûlée such an enjoyable and recognizable French dessert.

Final Thoughts

This Crème Brûlée recipe demonstrates how a short ingredient list can create an exceptionally elegant dessert when each component is prepared with care. Whether it is served after a French-inspired dinner, prepared for guests, or enjoyed as a special dessert at home, this classic French Crème Brûlée recipe delivers richness, elegance, and satisfying texture in every spoonful.

This luxurious Crème Brûlée recipe brings that timeless Parisian dessert experience directly to the table, complete with the rich custard, glossy caramel, and irresistible crack that have made it a favourite for generations.

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