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Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the easiest creme brulee recipe you will ever make in your life!!!!
It only takes 15 minutes to make and only requires one bowl!!! No tempering the eggs with hot cream, no baking in water baths for 30 minutes!!! It’s seriously so simple to make that you will be making creme brulee for every single dessert for the rest of your life!!!
Okay, maybe not…because cookies! But not joking about the level of ease here!
Before I let you in on this fun hack for this recipe let me just say that I am SO EXCITED about these creme brulees! Creme brulee has been one of my all time favorite desserts to order at a restaurant…it’s probably one of the most loved desserts out there…but I’ve been so intimidated to make it at home…it just seems like so much effort.
I know, I know, if you watch any creme brulee video by any chef and they will tell you that creme brulee is a super easy dessert – and sure it is because you can make most of it in advance – but the idea of messing with tempering eggs and heavy cream and then baking them in a water bath for 30 minutes and blah blah blah! I just knew there must be an easier version to make it home!
And here it is!!! Are you ready for it?!?!
CREAM CHEESE.
Yup, that’s the secret.
We whip softened cream cheese with milk, and agave nectar (or maple syrup) and vanilla of course, and divide it into those cute little ramekins then pop them in the fridge. That’s it!!!
Before you go and tell me that creme brulee is a custard made with cream and eggs…I know. But just trust me on this one!!! It doesn’t really taste like cheesecake because you don’t have the graham cracker crust, and we aren’t baking the cream cheese filling or adding gelatin so it doesn’t firm up quite as much as a cheese cake would – the filling is rich, thick, velvety soft just like a creme brulee is supposed to be.
Bonus points: there will never be an egg-y taste to this creme brulee!!! have you ever had a creme brulee that’s got an egg-y undertone to it?! Yeah, not a fan of that – and you won’t taste that with these creme brulees…because NO EGGS!
I mean just look at that luscious, thick cream cheese creme brulee filling! Can I just stick my face in that bowl?!?!
We need to address the vanilla situation: See those little black specks in that cream cheese filling?!?! That’s called mega flavor.
I tested this creme brulee recipe using vanilla extract…and then I tested it with vanilla bean paste and OMG it’s a world of a difference!!! By either using the seeds from a vanilla bean pod or some vanilla bean paste you will take this dessert from good to MIND BLOWING AMAZING!!!
That intense vanilla flavor really helps to make this creme brulee taste like the fancy custard version you would get at a restaurant. If all you have is vanilla extract, then go ahead and use it but it’s really worth treating yourself to the vanilla bean seeds or paste, it makes a world of a difference!
About torching the sugar – don’t be scared, you’ve got this!
It wouldn’t be creme brulee without the bruleed – AkA burnt – sugar on top that’s all carmel-y and burnt and crispy. Hello, satisfying crack!
As you see in the photo above I went with the traditional torch method to brulee my sugar – it’s fun to play with fire! I have left instructions and a video in the recipe below on how to use a blow torch/kitchen torch. Let the fire show begin!!!!
If you don’t have a blow torch/kitchen torch you can pop the creme brulees under your broiler for a minute (also in the recipe). I haven’t tried this method because my broiler is weird but I know a lot of people have had success with this method.
It doesn’t matter which method you use, all that matters is that you have a crunchy topping to crack into!
Just look at these beauties!!! My mouth is watering! Only 15 minutes of hands on time and creme brulee can be yours!
This ridiculously easy creme brulee recipe would be perfect for serving at a party for any occasion – birthdays, holidays, dinner parties, or just because – you can make the filing up to 48 hours in advance and just take a few minutes to make the crunchy sugar topping. This recipe serves 5 1/2 cup creme brulees, but it’s simple enough to cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd or even double it for a super large crowd. Either way whoever digs into these creme brulees with you will be super impressed and will want to move into your house!
Tap your spoon on the sugar crust for a satisfying crack, and dig into that velvety vanilla cream along with a bite of that crunchy, caramel-y sugar crust. My job here is done!!
Okay not really because I have visions of chocolate creme brulee, alcohol infused creme brulee, maybe even matcha creme brulee! The flavor possibilities are endless, so excited to play around with this recipe!
But for now, let’s start with the classic vanilla creme brulee…because sometiems simple is best! Enjoy!
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- Author: Emily Koch
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 5 to 6 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Description
The easiest creme brulee recipe you will ever make – 15 minutes, one bowl, and no baking required! Velvety rich vanilla filling topped with a burnt sugar crust. Perfect for serving at parties.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 2 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon milk (I used almond milk but you could use a skim cow’s milk)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or sub maple syrup)
- 1/8th teaspoon salt
- Seeds from one vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste)*
- Sugar topping
- 1 to 2 teaspoons raw organic sugar for each creme brulee **
- Optional toppings for garnish
- raspberries
- fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Whip Cream cheese: Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large mixing bowl – either use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to whip the cream cheese. Once the cream cheese has broken up a little bit add the milk, agave nectar, and salt, beat again until the cream cheese is smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla bean paste or the seeds of a vanilla bean.
- Taste: Taste the filling and adjust flavors as needed. Keep in mind that you want it to be sweet but not super sweet because we add a lot of sweetness to the dessert when we add the sugar toppig.
- Fill ramekins Divide the filling between 5 1/2 cup ramekins (keep in mind that I had some filling leftover and filled a smaller 1/4 cup ramekin – not pictured. You can just add a little extra to your 5 ramekins if you want). Smooth the filling out with the back of a spoon.
- Chill: Cover the ramekins with foil and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours (the longer the better). You can skip this step in if you’re in a hurry but it does allow the cream cheese to set up and become more custard like texture. Plus the goal is to have a cold filling.
- Torch the sugar: Just before you’re ready to serve sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar evenly over a creme brulee. Carefully use a torch or a kitchen torch to melt/slightly burn the sugar moving in a circular motion. Allow the sugar to cool for a few minutes and it will harden.Repeat this process with as many creme brulees as you are serving, you don’t want to do this too far in advance or the sugar will get soggy. (see notes for a broiler method to make the sugar crust).
- Serve: Once the sugar has hardened garnish it with a raspberry and a fresh mint leaf, if desired. Serve immediately with a spoon and enjoy that satisfying crack when you hit your spoon on the sugar topping.
Notes
*Vanilla: If you can’t get your hands on a vanilla bean than the second best choice is a vanilla bean paste (also it’s usually more affordable). I do recommend using either a vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean over extract, I have tested this recipe with just vanilla extract and the stronger vanilla flavor from the bean/paste makes really makes these creme brulees taste like the real version made with cream and eggs. Also, it just tastes way better – so worth it. If you vanilla extract is your only option than use about 1 to 2 teaspoons.
** Sugar: I used raw organic cane sugar for the topping for this recipe. You could also use regular granulated sugar. I did try using coconut sugar because it’s what I prefer to eat, but it didn’t melt very well. This is a case where you can’t really replace the refined sugar with a healthier option. But that’s okay, because this is a once-in-a-while dessert.:)
Vegan/dairy free option: To make this recipe vegan you could try using vegan cream cheese and a non-dairy milk of your choice. I have never worked with vegan cream cheese so I can’t guarantee how the vegan ersion would turn out. If you try it let me know how it goes in the comments. 🙂
Example of how to torch the sugar: Watch this video – skip to minute 2:09.
How to make sugar crust with broiler method: Sprinkle an even layer on each creme brulee. Put them as close as you can to your broiler for 1 minute Make sure to keep your eye on the creme brulees so the sugar doesn’t burn (too much) and the filling doesn’t get too warm. Keep in mind that I haven’t tested this method with this creme brulee recipe. Also keep in mind that for the broiler method you will want to make sure the creme brulees are nicely chilled first.
This recipe makes 5 1/2 cup ramekins + 1 1/4 cup ramekin. You can easily cut the recipe in half to make 2 to 3 creme brulees depending on how many people you’re serving.
Method for recipe heavily adapted from Laura Vitale.
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