Chocolate and vanilla crème brûlée
This crème brûlée recipe is a sophisticated combination in three layers: chocolate ganache, vanilla custard, and, of course, a delicious thin crust of caramel.
It is more complicated than a simple chocolate crème brûlée, but well worth the effort when you see your guests' reactions.
18,0354.3/5
Last modified on: May 6th 2018
For 4 people, you will need:
- 1
350 g Chocolate ganache - 2
125 ml whole milk - 3
125 ml liquid cream - 4
½ vanilla pod - 5
30 g caster sugar - 6
3 egg yolks - 7 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- Total weight: 752 grams
How long does it take?
| Preparation | Resting | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 min. | 20 min. | 50 min. | 1 hour 59 min. |
At what time?
When will I finish if I start the recipe at a certain time?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Work this out...
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1
15 min.
Prepare the ganachePrepare 350 g Chocolate ganache.
Stage 2
4 min.
As soon as it is ready and while still hot, divide it evenly between the crème brulée dishes.Put to wait in the fridge.
Stage 3
10 min.
Prepare the vanilla cream
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).Put into a saucepan: 125 ml whole milk, 125 ml liquid cream and ½ vanilla pod with its seeds scraped out.
Bring to the boil on medium heat, then turn off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
Stage 4
2 min.
Stage 5
1 min.
Mix thoroughly.Stage 6
20 min.
Then pour in the infused milk while stirring.Stage 7
1 min.
Mix thoroughly.Stage 8
2 min.
Clean the saucepan, then pour the vanilla-flavoured mixture back in through a fine strainer.Stage 9
8 min.
Put the saucepan back on low heat and stir constantly while the custard thickens to "coating" consistency (you can leave a mark with your finger on the back of a wooden spatula or soft spatula, as shown in the photo.Stage 10
20 min.
Stand the saucepan in cold water to cool the custard rapidly.Stage 11
4 min.
When cooled, pour the custard as a second layer on top of the ganache.Cooking
Method 1: stand the dishes in a larger dish or tray on a sheet of paper (optional). Pour boiling water around the dishes before putting in the oven.Stage 12
Method 2: stand the dishes in an oven tray filled with boiling water.Stage 13
30 min.
Leave to cook for about 30 minutes until the vanilla custard is set.Take the dishes out of the oven and leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, covered with plastic film, so that the custard is really cold.
Stage 14
Caramelize the tops
This is THE tricky moment: burning...Sprinkle a tablespoonful of sugar evenly on top of the custard, then burn it as shown in this short demonstration video.
Note: the best tool for melting the sugar is a blow-lamp. If you don't have one, see below how to use your grill.
Stage 15
2 min.
You should end up with the famous thin brown crust all over the surface of the custard.Stage 16
Put the crème brûlée back in the fridge for about 30 minutes for the caramel to harden and the custard to become cold again.Reheat the crust a few seconds before serving your guests with the perfect crème brulée: chocolate ganache, cold creamy custard and a crust of hot, crunchy caramel.
Remarks
As I said, the perfect crème brûlée (for me) is a soft, cold custard with a thin, hot, brown and crunchy crust. Here are some tips:
- Proceed in two stages: caramelize the tops and refrigerate for about half an hour to cool. Just before serving, re-heat with the blowlamp for just a few seconds.
- It's easier to get a good crust if you use white sugar rather than brown, but it's a matter of taste.
Nutritional information
How much will it cost?
For 4 people : 4.12 €
Per person : 1.03 €
Source: Home made.
More recipes?
This recipe use (among others) | Chocolate ganache: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Chocolate Truffles, Two-coloured chocolate-orange tart, Flaky chocolate brioche, ... All |
| Whole milk: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Smoky potato and potimarron gratin, Potimarron and leek soup, Fresh mint ice-cream, Cauliflower "moelleux" in ramekins, Rice pudding with fruit and nuts, ... All |
| Liquid cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Breton leek and mushroom tart, The total turnip, Polenta with spinach and soft-poached egg, Penne with Mushrooms, Layered Leek and Egg Gratin , ... All |
| Caster sugar: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Breton sablé biscuit dough, Lemon creams, Apple confectioner's custard, Quick Strawberry Millefeuille, Strawberry and rhubarb crumble, ... All |
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