Eggnog Crème Brûlée Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Mary

I think eggnog is generally just milk/cream, egg, sugar, and vanilla (and sometimes bourbon), so all of the ingredients are there.

CarolJ

If you follow the recipe and use only cream and milk, rather than eggnog, consider adding vanilla. Otherwise, this combination is lacking any flavor.

josee

My second time making this. It takes a bit longer to get it to set, 8 minutes for me. I don’t use bourbon but a lot of vanilla. I don’t know what the magic trick is, whether it is the recipe, or my chickens’ amazing eggs, but this is the best crème brûlée i have ever made, as per the dinner guests. This recipe is a keeper for sure.

Eve

I did add half a teaspoon of vanilla as another person suggested. The first batch I left out the bourbon accidentally but was still good.

Phantomtides

I just discovered this nugget here; sorry to be both late and contrary. Using a kitchen torch to carmelize crème brulée is like rolling pie crust with a pencil. Get a welder's torch (with the classic name "Bernz-o-matic") and a small propane tank from any hardware store. That costs half as much as those dainty numbers from the fancy stores, and it will carmelize the sugar in three seconds — literally three seconds — instead of the 45 or so from one of those gumball machine prizes.

Liz

I was leery about the water bath slopping into the custard so used ramekins, but that defeats the purpose of having lots of surface area for the crackling crust. Found this tip: wrap each brûlée dish with an aluminum foil collar to help keep any water out when moving the baking pan.

EnochW

They say 2 - 3 teaspoons of sugar on the top. That is too much. The top is too thick. 1 to 1 1/2 was perfect.I used Bourbon only, no vanilla and it was exquisite. I am at a loss as to why some commentators say that vanilla is needed. Maybe if you don't flavor with bourbon? Anyway, ours was wonderful with bourbon and no vanilla.

Liz

I was leery about a water bath surrounding already shallow creme brûlée dishes. Found a good tip: wrap each dish with an aluminum foil collar, like a soufflé. Adds some insurance that water won’t slop into the custard when moving the baking pan.

Amalia

Followed the advice in other comments and added vanilla. Delicious. It took an extra 10 min to set.

Ronda

Is there some kind of industrial blowtorch I should know about? I have a standard kitchen torch from one of the usual kitchen goods stores, but it takes a long time and it just doesn't do the job of giving me a nice, even, crunchy layer of burnt sugar. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Andrew

The blow torch is not a single-use gadget. It can also reverse-sear a steak without overcooking the interior.

Amelia Jayne

Very reliable recipe but not as much eggnog flavor as I would have liked.

Judy

Do you have to put nutmeg in it?

CJ

Is the plastic wrap placed directly on the cream?

JoJoCampbell

First time making creme brulee. The family loved it! Next time I will cut the sugar in the recipe as I found it too sweet. I prefer my creme brulee less sweet with the caramelized topping doing the work to provide just the right amount of texture and sweetness. Amazing how so little bourbon can pack such a delicious punch.

Currays

My experience was that 325 is too hot an oven for this - the water was boiling and the creme over cooked. I subsequently went back to my standard creme brûlée recipe, subbed 1 cup eggnog for 1 of the cups of creme, added an extra egg yolk and cooked it at 275 - perfect!

Michele

I made this for Christmas, with a few other desserts. Sadly, this never set completely. I cooked it for more than double the time, the top got weird and brown, and I never served them. I read somewhere that for crème brûlée the basic recipe is 1 c cream for every 3 egg yolks. Perhaps, it needs 3 c heavy cream and 9 yolks instead of 2 c heavy cream and 1 c milk, and 8 yolks. Has anyone adjusted this with success? I see people had failures with the base not setting. The flavor is nice though.

rebasan

It isn’t too great if you forget to add sugar. It tastes like cheese. My kids are trying to salvage by stirring the baked concoction with sugar after the fact. Daughter reports it’s ok-son trying to retorch: Husband recommending just remixing the crunchy topping in. All in all glad we have a home to make really bad crème brûlée in here in Boulder County tonight

Karen

I have a bottle of Trader Joe’s prepared egg nog which contains all the ingredients. How would I adapt to make the crème brûlée?

Dr Mark Haywood

It's worth grinding the sugar with a pestle and mortar, then it will melt more evenly - you'll get a smoother, less granular result. Also just before applying the heat you can also very, very lightly spray with water from a plant mister to slightly dissonlve the sugar powder(omitting to add liquid plant food!)Interesting traditional French alternative to the blow torch is an iron disk with a long handle that you heat on the stove top (it's also good for tasks like for charring polenta cakes)

khawkey

I am confused? Where's the Eggnog???

MJWellness

I guess the eggs makes it egg nog with the spices

Carol Tate

Can I substitute actual eggnog for the milk/cream? How much?

AWP

Do you think this would still set if I used half & half instead of heavy cream? My family is lactose free but there's a lactose free half & half milk I can find.

Phantomtides

I just discovered this nugget here; sorry to be both late and contrary. Using a kitchen torch to carmelize crème brulée is like rolling pie crust with a pencil. Get a welder's torch (with the classic name "Bernz-o-matic") and a small propane tank from any hardware store. That costs half as much as those dainty numbers from the fancy stores, and it will carmelize the sugar in three seconds — literally three seconds — instead of the 45 or so from one of those gumball machine prizes.

Michele

Yes! They are more superior to the little kitchen torches sold in stores, and quicker too. I've been using the larger torch for years. It's a much better tool.

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Eggnog Crème Brûlée Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of crème brûlée? ›

This is a key step to making perfect crème brûlée – baking your custards in a water bath. A water bath is a pan of water that the ramekins are placed in to bake. A water bath provides some insulation from direct heat which allows the custards to cook gently, evenly, and prevents cracking.

What's the difference between egg custard and crème brûlée? ›

The main difference between the two is that creme brulee is topped with a layer of sugar that caramelizes under a broiler or torch, resulting in a crunchy, burnt sugar topping. Egg custard does not have this additional layer of sugar, but some recipes call for a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon.

Can you substitute milk for heavy cream in crème brûlée? ›

The sugar topping should be torched just before serving. Heavy cream is the usual ingredient for creme brûlée, but full fat half-and-half is a touch lighter (half milk, half cream) and will also yield a silky creme brulee.

Why is my crème brûlée not crispy? ›

The issue is the moisture in the sugar. You see it when the torch seems to bubble allot of the sugar but nothing happens. You would have to keep the torch on it to evaporate all the water first. Physics, water top heat is 212 yet you need your sugar to hit around 340 to caramelize.

What not to do when making creme brulee? ›

Avoid These Common Mistakes and Make a Flawless Crème Brûlée
  1. Using the Wrong Size Ramekin. Crème brûlée is traditionally baked in a wide, shallow ramekin. ...
  2. Using Whole Eggs. The pudding portion of crème brûlée should be trembling and tender, but still rich and creamy. ...
  3. Getting Water in the Pudding. ...
  4. Torching the Wrong Sugar.
Jan 20, 2016

Why is creme brulee so hard to make? ›

The ingredients required for creme brulee are shockingly simple. The only difficult part of this recipe is planning ahead of time to chill the custards before torching. Eggs.

Is Southern style custard the same as eggnog? ›

Although often equated with eggnog, boiled custard is much thicker than its better-known cousin. “It's odd we call it a beverage because it's not always drinkable,” says the Chapel Hill, North Carolina–based cook and food writer Sheri Castle. “It's more like a pudding.

What is the fancy name for crème brûlée? ›

Crème brûlée or crème brulée (/ˌkrɛm bruːˈleɪ/; French: [kʁɛm bʁy. le]), also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, and virtually identical to crema catalana, is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar.

How is eggnog different to custard? ›

The most basic difference is that boiled custard is heated while true eggnog isn't. Both are made with milk, half and half, or cream, eggs, sugar, and usually a little vanilla. However, eggnog is very fluid and creamy because it hasn't been heated. Custard becomes thicker as it is heated, as the eggs cook.

Can I use pyrex for crème brûlée? ›

Pour into a shallow, rectangular pyrex dish (13 1/2 x8 1/2 inch) and place it in a pan containing a few inches of hot water. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour or until set (insert a silver knife to test).

Is heavy or light cream better for crème brûlée? ›

Heavy Cream Is The Traditional Dairy In Crème Brûlée

While there are only a handful, they come together to create harmony in a ramekin. The crème brûlée base is typically made with heavy cream, which gives it an over-the-top, decadent, and rich flavor.

What sugar is best for crème brûlée? ›

For the caramelized sugar crust, we recommend turbinado or Demerara sugar. Regular granulated sugar will work, too, but use only 1 scant teaspoon on each ramekin or 1 teaspoon on each shallow fluted dish.

What happens if you put too much sugar in crème brûlée? ›

If there's too much sugar, the crust will start to burn before it melts evenly. Too little, and it will just melt into the custard. Brûléeing the sugar in two steps leads to a more uniform melting of the sugar granules and a nice even caramel color.

Can you use a propane torch for crème brûlée? ›

Equipment: For best results, use a kitchen-size propane torch to “burn” the sugar crust. This can also be done using the blowtorch from your garage, or under the pre-heated broiler of your oven, in which case it must be watched closely to avoid blackening the crust or further cooking the custard.

What makes a good crème brûlée? ›

What Makes a Perfect Crème Brûlée?
  1. Fresh Top-notch Ingredients. Exceptional crème brûlée begins with the quality and freshness of its ingredients. ...
  2. Velvety Smooth Custard. ...
  3. Scalding Cream. ...
  4. Ramekin Size. ...
  5. Baking In a Water Bath. ...
  6. Right Cooking. ...
  7. Sugar Coating. ...
  8. Careful Torching.
Oct 19, 2023

What is the Speciality of crème brûlée? ›

Creme brûlée is a French dessert that is composed of a rich and creamy custard base that is topped with a layer of hard caramel. The caramel topping adds a slight burnt sugar flavor and crunch to the dessert.

What creates the hard top on a crème brûlée? ›

Crème brûlée is an easy dessert served in individual ramekins with a rich custard base made out of eggs, sugar, heavy cream and vanilla. The topping is made out of a thin layer of granulated sugar which is caramelized with a torch to create textually contrasting hard candy-like shell.

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