A Delicious Sous Vide Crème Brulee Recipe

What exactly is crème brulee? Well it is custard that is thickened using egg protein coagulation. It is truly delicious, and a favorite in restaurants throughout the world. To produce the perfect crème brulee it is important to keep the cooking temperature under 185°F (85°C) otherwise you end up with a curdled mess.

When you cook crème brulee sous vide you will be able to control the cooking temperature precisely and produce amazing results. When you are using this method, it is a good idea to use small mason jars.

Best Sous Vide Creme Brulee Recipe

Before serving your crème brulee, it will really add the finishing touch by using a sous vide torch to add caramelized sugar for that traditional golden brown layer on the top.  So let’s get on with it shall we?

Equipment

• Sous Vide Machine – our favorite right now is the Anova or the Joule.
• Container – not necessary, but nice to have for bigger cuts of meat. We recommend the Lipavi as it is large and sturdy. You can also use a pot.
• Vacuum sealer and bags, or a freezer Ziploc bag. If you only have a Ziploc make sure to check our our article on the water displacement method. You can find our favorite vacuum sealers here – 5 Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers (Reviews Updated 2021)

Ingredients

• 21 Ounces or 600 grams of heavy or whipping cream
• 6 ounces or 160 grams of egg yolk (about 11 egg yolks)
• 3 ounces or 90 grams of granulated sugar plus some more for the caramelization
• Salt
• 6 mason jars

Preparation, Cooking Time, and Temperature

There are a few steps to this that you need to pay attention to. The first is to prepare the mixture in preparation for the cream.

1. While you are taking these first preparation steps you can fill your water bath and set the cooking temperature to 176°F (80°C).
2. You will need to add the egg yolks to the granulated sugar and add salt. You want to create a smooth mixture here so the use of a whisk is recommended.
3. The next step is to heat the heavy cream. You will use a conventional stove and saucepan for this, but you will need to check the heat of the cream so use a digital thermometer. You want to heat the cream to 158°F (70°C).
4. Now it is time for the tempering step, which is adding the hot cream to the egg yolk mix. This needs to be done slowly to avoid the eggs curdling.
5. Once you have added all of the cream you will need to strain the mixture and then leave it to rest for half an hour. During this resting period, you will see bubbles rising to the top and dissipating. These bubbles need to be skimmed away.
6. Now you need to add the mixture to the mason jars. Again you want to do this slowly, as if it is too fast then more air bubbles will result. If any bubbles do form on the top of the mixture then skim them off. Using a blowtorch is a good way to do this.
7. The next step is to add the lids to the mason jars and close them with your fingertips so they are just closed. Do not over tighten the lids, as you want the air to be able to escape once the jars are in the water bath. If the air cannot escape then your jars could end up with cracks in them.
8. Now you can place the jars carefully into the pre heated water bath and set your cooking timer for 60 minutes.
9. After the cooking time, remove the jars and let them rest for a while. Once they have cooled down you can transfer the jars to the fridge to cool further.
10. Once they have cooled in the fridge you will add that great sugar layer on top.
11. Take the lids off the jars and add a dusting of sugar to each. Use a sous vide torch on a low gas setting and apply the flame while rotating the jars. Let the sugar set for 5 minutes afterwards.

Not what you’re looking for? Head on over to our super comprehensive article on best sous vide machine reviews and sous vide vacuum sealer reviews!