Description
A silky vanilla crème brûlée with a subtle splash of soy sauce for savory depth and sweet-salty balance, finished with a crisp caramelized brown sugar crust.
Ingredients
1 vanilla bean
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
50 g granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- Add the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla bean pod to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let infuse for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale, smooth, and creamy. Stir in the soy sauce until evenly incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 265°F (130°C).
- Remove the vanilla bean pod from the infused cream mixture. Gradually pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks while whisking continuously.
- Divide the custard evenly among 4 ramekins.
- Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish and carefully pour hot water into the dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still have a slight wobble.
- Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled and set.
- Just before serving, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar evenly over each custard.
- Caramelize the brown sugar with a kitchen torch until melted and deep golden, forming a crisp crust.
- Serve immediately while the caramelized topping is crisp and the custard remains cold and creamy.
Notes
For stronger vanilla flavor, add a small splash of pure vanilla extract after removing the infused cream from the heat.
Light soy sauce provides a more delicate savory note, while darker soy sauce can give the custard a more pronounced flavor.
For a citrus variation, infuse a strip of orange or lemon zest with the cream and remove it with the vanilla pod.
For a warmer flavor, infuse the cream with a small cinnamon stick.
Granulated sugar can replace brown sugar for a thinner, more traditional crème brûlée crust.
If you do not have a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar carefully under a hot broiler, watching continuously to prevent burning.
Store baked, uncaramelized custards covered in the refrigerator and caramelize the sugar immediately before serving for the crispest crust.
Already caramelized leftovers can be refrigerated, but the sugar crust will soften over time. Reheating is not recommended.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crème brûlée
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 290 mg
