Holiday Crème Brûlée

Posted on by Ilze

I was always a bit against making crème brûlée at home.

Not because it’s difficult. But because I love it too much.

It’s one of those desserts I prefer to keep slightly out of reach — something you order occasionally, savor slowly, and then let go. I was genuinely afraid that if I learned how to make it myself, I’d find reasons to eat it all the time. A dangerous kind of knowledge.

But this holiday season, things shifted. Linna asked. And somehow, that was reason enough to change my mind.

So we cooked it together and had a shared kitchen time that felt more important than the dessert itself.

Yes, the crème brûlée turned out delicious — creamy, rich, with that satisfying crack on top (for those who can wait extra time!).

Yes, now I do know how to make it. But more than that, I’ll remember this one as ours.
A holiday dessert born not from craving, but from a simple request and a moment together.

Here is the full recipe , which makes a lot of Crème Brûlée.. around 14–16 standard ramekins!

Holiday Crème Brûlée


This crème brûlée was made during the holidays — something I always avoided cooking at home, until Linna asked. We made it together.

Ingredients

  • 1500 ml heavy cream (35%)
  • 18 egg yolks
  • 360 g sugar
  • 3 vanilla pods (or 3 tsp vanilla paste)
  • Extra sugar, for caramelizing

Directions

  1. Split the vanilla pods lengthwise with a knife and scrape out the seeds using the back of the blade.
  2. Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan. Add both the vanilla pods and the seeds. Heat gently until hot but do not boil. Remove from heat and let infuse for 30 minutes.
  3. Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
  4. Add the sugar to the yolks and stir slowly until the sugar dissolves. Do not whisk or foam.
  5. Remove the vanilla pods from the cream. Slowly pour the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, stirring gently.
  6. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
  7. Pour the custard into ramekins, leaving space on top for the caramel layer and berries.
  8. Place the ramekins in a deep baking tray. Pour hot water into the tray so it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  9. If foam forms on the surface, gently remove it with a spoon. Bake in the oven: 15 minutes at 170°C then turn down to 150°C and bake for 25 minutes or until the custard is slightly wobbly in the center when gently shaken.
  10. Remove from the oven. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. At this stage, the custards can be stored in the fridge for several days.
  11. About 1 hour before serving, sprinkle each ramekin with 1 tablespoon of sugar and caramelize using a kitchen torch. Chill again until serving.
  12. Garnished with berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, mint leaves etc.

latvianmom.com

Cover with lids and refrigerate… our stayed for 3 days – no problem.

Ilze

Discover more from a day in the life of a latvian mom

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

7 thoughts on “Holiday Crème Brûlée”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *