Perfect Chocolate Creme Brulee
- PREP 50min
- COOK 40min
- TOTAL 1hrs 30min
Our chocolate crème brûlée is the ultimate chocolate dessert! This recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead, making it perfect for entertaining. When adding the hot cream to the eggs, remember to pour slowly to prevent the mixture from scrambling (but don’t worry if a few bits solidify—we’ll strain it later!). To achieve that perfect caramelized top, you’ll need a culinary torch or use our tips for caramelizing them under the broiler below the recipe.
You Will Need
2 cups (470ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (100g) sugar, plus more for serving
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large egg yolks
3 ounces (85g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces, about 1/2 cup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Prepare Creme Brulee
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Place six small ramekins (5 to 6 ounces each) into a large roasting pan or baking dish. Fill a kettle or saucepan with water to boil later on.
Add the cream, half of the sugar (1/4 cup), and the salt to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring gently. Remove from the heat.
Place the chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl, but reserve 1 tablespoon to add at the end. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring well after each, until just melted. Stir in the reserved chocolate until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) until well blended.
While whisking, slowly stream approximately half of the hot cream into the eggs. Then, switch from whisking the eggs to whisking the liquid in the saucepan, and slowly pour the tempered eggs with half of the cream back into the saucepan.
Now, while whisking, slowly pour the custard into the melted chocolate. Whisk in vanilla, then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, removing any lumps.
Bring the water to a boil (either in a kettle or saucepan). You will need 6 to 8 cups.
Place the roasting pan with the ramekins in the oven. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of each ramekin.
Ladle the chocolate custard into the ramekins so that they are approximately 3/4 full.
Bake the crème brûlée until just set in the middle (the center should still wobble slightly), 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and wipe them dry. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Serving
Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, evenly sprinkle the surface with a thin layer of sugar (about 1 tablespoon each).
Using a culinary torch, melt and caramelize the sugar. Allow the sugar cool and harden before serving the crème brûlée.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make ahead and storing: You can prepare and refrigerate the crème brûlée for up to 3 days. I cover them with plastic wrap so they do not pick up any smells inside the fridge. When serving, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving them, add your sugar, and caramelize the top.
- No microwave: Place the chocolate and 2/3 cup of the cream in a heat-proof bowl (glass or metal works well) set over a saucepan with an inch or two of barely simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Allow the chocolate to melt slowly, stirring occasionally (it should take 5 to 6 minutes). Remove it from the heat and stir until it’s smooth and glossy.
- No culinary torch: Preheat the broiler, sprinkle the tops of the crème brûlée with one tablespoon of sugar, and then place them onto a sheet pan. Slide them under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Watch closely! Remove from the oven and let the sugar cool and harden before serving.
- This recipe was inspired by Mastering and Craft, Baking and Pastry, Culinary Institute of America.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.