Espresso Crème Brûlée

Espresso Crème Brûlée


With a wealthy, easy, and creamy caramel and coffee-infused custard, this espresso crème brûlée places the final word spin on a basic French dessert! Selfmade crème brûlée is manner simpler than you’d suppose. It’s excellent to make forward in your subsequent banquet!

Feeling fancy? Fortunately, desserts like tiramisu and avocado chocolate mousse not solely look spectacular, however they’re tremendous easy to make. Identical to this espresso crème brûlée!

Three ramekins with creme brulee.

 

Crème brûlée (French for “burnt cream”) is correct up there with souffle as a type of fancy pants-sounding desserts that I by no means dreamed I may make at house… till I did! This espresso crème brûlée happened when my Mother requested me to make it. It was good timing on her half, as I’d simply made macarons and had a bunch of egg yolks begging to be repurposed!

After some recipe testing, my espresso crème brûlée turned out much more scrumptious than I ever may have imagined. I’ve been making this selfmade crème brûlée for particular events ever since!

What Makes This Crème Brûlée So Good

  • Wealthy, velvety, and infused with espresso. This could be the most effective crème brûlée on Earth. The crème de la crème (pun supposed). There’s espresso AND caramel in there! It’s like taking a caramel macchiato and baking it in a ramekin, crusted with sugar.
  • It’s simpler than you’d suppose. You don’t must splurge at a restaurant to take pleasure in excellent crème brûlée. Till I made it myself, I didn’t notice simply how simple it’s to make from scratch. 
  • No fancy gear. A butane torch is useful to make the topping in case you’re sticking with custom. Nevertheless, the most effective half about this recipe is that you simply don’t even want it! I’ll present you “burn” the sugar on high utilizing your oven broiler as a substitute.
Close-up view of a spoon resting in a ramekin of coffee crème brûlée.

What Is Crème Brûlée? 

Crème brûlée, pronounced “krem broo-lay”, is a basic French dessert constructed from a creamy custard topped with a skinny layer of hardened, or burnt, caramelized sugar. You haven’t lived till you’ve tapped the highest of crème brûlée with a spoon, shattering the crackly topping to offer approach to the silky filling beneath. It’s an expertise. One, it seems, isn’t tough to recreate at house!

Coffee crème brûlée ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Components You’ll Want

This espresso crème brûlée is made with a couple of easy elements. I’ve included my notes right here, and you’ll discover the printable elements checklist with the total quantities and recipe particulars within the recipe card beneath the publish.

  • Heavy Whipping Cream – I like to recommend full-fat heavy cream. You’ll use it to make the espresso element and once more if you make the egg custard.
  • Instantaneous Espresso – Darkish roast or espresso granules are greatest.
  • Egg Yolks – You’ll want simply the yolks to make the espresso custard. Save the egg whites for an egg white frittata within the morning!
  • Sugar – I take advantage of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt for the custard. For the burnt sugar crust, nonetheless, I desire the feel of uncooked sugar. Gentle brown sugar additionally makes a superb substitute for uncooked sugar within the crust.
  • Caramel Sauce – Select your favourite jarred caramel sauce from the shop. Or, if in case you have a selfmade caramel sauce recipe, go forward and use it.

The way to Make Espresso Crème Brûlée

Making crème brûlée is definitely ridiculously easy. Infuse the cream, whisk with egg yolks and sugar, fill the ramekins, bake, and chill. End with a sprinkle of sugar, toasted with a blowtorch or broiler. That’s it! Listed here are these steps in additional element:

  • Infuse the espresso cream. First, deliver the heavy whipping cream and low grounds to a low simmer in a saucepan. Cowl, and let that steep for about half-hour.
  • Combine the egg yolks and sugar. In the meantime, cream the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a big bowl.
  • Put together the caramel cream. In a separate bowl, combine the caramel sauce with 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. 
  • Mix. Pressure the espresso cream into the bowl with the caramel cream (you possibly can discard the leftover espresso grounds). Then, slowly add the espresso/caramel cream to the egg yolks, whisking to mix.
  • Put together the ramekins. Divide the custard between 4 ramekins set inside a roasting pan. Fill the pan with boiling water, about midway up the edges of the ramekins.
  • Bake. Bake the espresso custard within the water bathtub for 1 hour and 10 minutes, then chill for 40 minutes. 
Crème brûlée in ramekins next to small bowls of coffee beans and caramels on a wire rack.

Recipe Suggestions

  • The way to inform when it’s set: The feel of crème brûlée ought to resemble a thick yogurt (like Greek yogurt), with a velvety mouthfeel. The custard is ready when it’s mushy and scoopable, however not runny. It shouldn’t be jelly- or cake-like, both. 
  • Chill earlier than torching. Make sure that to refrigerate the baked crème brûlée for 40 minutes to 1 hour earlier than including the sugar and broiling it. This ensures that the custard is chilly and retains it from melting.
  • Chill once more earlier than serving. Crème brûlée is an ideal dessert to make forward. You’ll need to chill the completed dessert for at the very least 3 hours or in a single day in order that it’s utterly set earlier than serving.
  • Completely different infusions. If you would like a extra classically flavored crème brûlée, infuse the cream with vanilla bean as a substitute of espresso and caramel. You may actually get artistic with steeping completely different elements within the cream, to realize all kinds of scrumptious flavors!

The way to Serve Crème Brûlée

Making selfmade crème brûlée takes a little bit of time and some dishes, nevertheless it’s utterly price it after the primary style of that wealthy, coffee-infused custard! Serve this crème brûlée chilly from the fridge as-is. It’s the proper end to a French-inspired meal of beef bourguignon, gradual cooker coq au vin, or juicy French onion rooster (impressed by French onion soup, which is one other scrumptious choice). 

Crème brûlée additionally makes an excellent candy deal with to make for Mom’s Day or Easter brunch, paired with recent fruit or a fruit salad and a giant pitcher of mimosas

Overhead view of a spoon resting in a ramekin of coffee crème brûlée.

Storing Leftovers

You may preserve the baked crème brûlée lined and refrigerated with or with out the burnt sugar topping. Retailer it for as much as 3 days. Sadly, crème brûlée doesn’t freeze properly.

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  • Put together the espresso cream. In a small saucepan, pour within the whipping cream and the espresso grounds; deliver to a simmer and take away from warmth. Cowl and let steep for about half-hour.

For the Custard

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

  • Combine the eggs and sugar. In a big bowl whisk the yolks, sugar, and salt till properly blended; put aside.

  • Combine the espresso and caramel combination. Pour the caramel sauce right into a separate bowl and add 1-½ cups of whipping cream. Pressure the coffee-infused cream into the caramel cream; throw away the espresso grounds.

  • Mix. Slowly whisk the cream combination into the egg combination. Whisk till properly mixed.

  • Fill the ramekins. Prepare 4 (6 oz.) ramekins in a roasting pan. Divide the cream combination amongst all of the ramekins.

  • Make a water bathtub. Pour sufficient boiled water into the roasting pan to return midway up the edges of the ramekins.

  • Bake after which cool. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. When finished, put the ramekins into the fridge for 40 minutes.

  • Broil the tops. Take out the ramekins and sprinkle the highest of every custard with a teaspoon of uncooked sugar. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil for two minutes, or till the sugar is melted and browned.

  • Chill. Refrigerate for at the very least 3 hours earlier than serving. Serve chilly.

Energy: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fats: 50g | Saturated Fats: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 14g | Ldl cholesterol: 426mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 174mg | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 2156IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg

Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in response to the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.

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