About This Creme Brulee Without A Torch Recipe
It’s true—you can make creme brulee without a torch, thanks to this amazing recipe! It’s the perfect fancy but easy dessert recipe. Why?
This crème brûlée recipe instructs you to make a creamy, silky custard flavored with vanilla and orange liqueur on the stovetop and oven. You then sprinkle the chilled custard with coarse Demerara sugar to make its signature glassy, crackling molten sugar top.
But here’s where it gets wild:
Traditional recipes then instruct you to use a chef’s torch to melt the sugar. However, in this recipe, I instruct you to broil it! Doing so achieves the same effect without any specialty equipment.
All My Best Ingredient Recommendations
Where To Buy Vanilla Beans
If you’re looking for a discount, shop online! Amazon often sells vanilla beans in bulk at a discount. To wit, you can buy $10 vanilla bean pods for $14.99! And if you’re picky about where your vanilla beans come from, Beanilla.com also has some great discounts.
And if you don’t want to buy a vanilla bean pod, you can use vanilla extract or paste in this recipe instead. Replace the vanilla bean pod with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or paste. I recommend paste because paste typically contains vanilla beans anyway—you’ll get a similar effect to using vanilla bean pods!
If you go this route, don’t add the vanilla to the cream before cooking it. You’ll end up cooking out the flavor! Instead, simply whisk the vanilla extract/paste in at the same time you whisk in the orange liqueur.
Let’s Talk Demerara Sugar
I love using Demerara sugar in creme brulee recipes because its large grain makes the creme brulee top extra molten. Because it already tastes like toffee and caramel, Demerara sugar can also enhance the creme brulee’s burnt sugar flavor.
But in a pinch, you can substitute the Demerara sugar for another coarse sugar like turbinado sugar. And if you don’t want to buy another specialty sugar, you can also just use granulated sugar. However, because granulated sugar has finer crystals, it will melt and dissolve more quickly. Keep an eye on things as you broil your creme brulee!
How To Tell When Creme Brulee Is Done
Creme brulee is done when the edges of the custard are set, but its center wobbles ever-so-slightly when you tap its dish with a knife. Overcooked creme brulee tends to be grainy and curdled. So if you’re unsure, it’s better to pull out the creme brulee on the early side rather than the later side! The custard will continue cooking in its dish even after it’s been taken out of the oven.
Best Recipe Tips
For Making The Recipe
- To make the creme brulee’s custard base, I instruct you to bake it in a water bath. A water bath helps prevent custards from overbaking in the oven and almost always guarantees a smooth, creamy base. For best results, use very hot (almost boiling!) water to fill the water bath. I suggest boiling the water for the water bath first while you prep your ingredients. Doing so will ensure that the water is ready to go by the time you’re ready to bake the custard!
- In the recipe below, I instruct you to bring the heavy cream to “just under a boil.” But what does that actually mean? Monitor the cream closely as you heat it. When it’s ready for use in the recipe, the edges of the cream around the pot should be bubbling small bubbles. Its center will slightly steam (but with no bubbles).
- It can be really hard to tell when a custard is done baking. The best way is to use a digital instant read thermometer—the center of the custard should read 165°F! If you don’t have an instant thermometer, you can still guestimate it with the “wobble test”. Gently tap the top of the creme brulee’s pan with a knife. The edges of the custard should be set, but its center will wobble ever-so-slightly. If it wobbles a lot, it needs a few more minutes in the oven! But don’t over do it—check it again after 1 to 2 minutes.
And Getting The Sugar Topping PERFECT
- In the ingredients list for the recipe, I provide a range of sugar quantities to use for the creme brulee’s sugar topping. Use 2 Tablespoons Demerara sugar if you have a weak broiler and/or prefer a thin crust of sugar on your creme brulee. Use 3 Tablespoons if you have a powerful broiler and/or prefer a thicker crust on your creme brulee.
- Once the creme brulee is cool, it’s time for the fun part—bruleeing it! Set the refrigerated creme brulee out on the counter as you preheat your oven. DO NOT SKIP THIS PART. If you’re using a glass or ceramic dish, there’s a chance that your dish might accidentally shatter if you broil it while its still relatively cold because glass and ceramic dishes are susceptible to extreme changes in temperature!
That sounds absolutely scary, I know! But don’t fear. Literally all you need to do is set out the dish on the counter for 10 or so minutes before broiling it. Doing so gives it enough time to come down to room temperature, preventing any accidents.
For Enjoying The Dessert
- I know it will be super tempting to serve the creme brulee right away. But let it sit for a minute to allow the sugar to cool slightly and harden. That’s how you get that really satisfying crack with a spoon!
- Most creme brulees are served chilled to contrast with the molten burnt sugar topping. Although you can get away with chilling the custard for 4 hours in the fridge, I definitely recommend chilling it at least overnight. Doing so will allow the custard to develop more vanilla flavors, and ensure the perfect consistency for your creme brulee.
Get the Recipe: Creme Brulee Without Torch Recipe
Ingredients
For the Creme Brulee
- 1 large egg
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (3.5 ounces or 99 grams) granulated sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 3 cups (24 ounces or 680 grams) heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1 Tablespoon orange liqueur
For the Sugar Topping
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Demerara sugar
Instructions
For the Creme Brulee
- Prep the oven. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
- Make the custard base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and salt.
- Heat the cream and vanilla. Pour the cream into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use the tip of a sharp knife to slice the vanilla bean pod lengthwise and scrape its seeds over the cream. Add the pod to the cream, too. Bring to just under a boil over medium heat, whisking continuously.
- Strain the cream, then slowly whisk it into the custard base. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large liquid measuring cup and quickly pour the cream over it to strain out the vanilla bean pod. Discard the pod. Slowly pour the strained cream into the custard base, whisking the custard base continuously. Whisk in the orange liqueur. Once combined, hold the sieve over a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan and pour the custard through the sieve to fill the pan.
- Bake the creme brulee. Place the pan of creme brulee in a large roasting pan. Make a water bath by filling the pan with enough boiling water to reach at least half way up the sides of the creme brulee pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges of the creme brulee are set but its center wobbles ever so slightly.
- Cool and chill the creme brulee. When done, remove the creme brulee from the water bath and cool completely on a wire rack. Loosely cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The creme brulee can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Torch the creme brulee. When ready to serve, remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator, discard the plastic wrap, and place on the center of a sheet pan. Let thaw slightly while you preheat the oven. Position a rack as close to the broiler as possible (preferably, on the top rack of your oven, at least 4 to 6 inches away from the broiler) and preheat on high for 10 minutes.Sprinkle the Demerara sugar evenly on top of the creme brulee. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sugar melts completely and most of it caramelizes, rotating the pan occasionally to even the browning. Cool on a wire rack for 1 minute to allow the sugar to harden, then serve immediately.
Notes
How To Store Creme Brulee
Creme brulee without its topping can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To do so, follow the instructions to make the creme brulee custard base and cool it to room temperature. Tightly wrap the entire thing (including its serving plate) in plastic wrap and refrigerate without its sugar topping for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, follow the instructions to top and brulee the custard. Unfortunately, once the creme brulee has been topped and broiled with its sugar topping, I do not recommend storing it. It will only last for 1 more day in the refrigerator—the sugar topping tends to soften and turn chewy!Can you freeze creme brulee?
Yes! You can freeze the creme brulee without its sugar topping. Follow the recipe instructions to make the creme brulee custard base and cool it to room temperature. Tightly wrap the entire thing (including its serving plate) in two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. To serve, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, follow the instructions to top and brulee the custard. Unfortunately, similar to how you can’t really refrigerate the creme brulee once it’s been topped and broiled, you cannot freeze a creme brulee with its bruleed sugar topping.Did you make this recipe?
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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
Hello! Could this recipe be made with non dairy cream? What I have on hand is a homemade cream from blending oatmilk and silken tofu, and it has been nice and thick & creamy in other recipes, but since this recipe doesn’t use cornstarch, I’m worried something will go wrong on the chemistry side of things.
Hi! You put “orange liqueur” on the ingredients list but don’t specify which brand. Do you have a preference? I know different brands like Cointreau and Grand Marnier perform differently in cocktails, so I wanted to get your opinion. Thanks in advance!
Hi! My preference for flavor is Grand Marnier, but either works in this recipe! I left it ambiguous because it doesn’t matter too much and both will taste good—it’s just up to your personal preferences at the end of the day.
How would you adjust the recipe to use ramekins for individual servings?