Easy French Dessert Recipes for Beginners: Crème Brûlée – When Burning Something in the Kitchen is Actually Encouraged
French desserts can evoke elegance and complexity, but they don’t have to be intimidating. Easy French dessert recipes for beginners like Crème brûlée, for instance, are ideal to get started. Beginner-friendly French desserts that can make anyone feel like a seasoned chef. Rich, creamy, and perfectly portioned, there’s always room for crème brûlée. It’s also a beloved feature in our Pâtisserie en Famille class, perfect for enjoying with family and friends. If you’re excited to explore more beginner-friendly cooking classes in Paris, we’ve got plenty of delicious options waiting for you.
A Dessert Rich in History
Did you know crème brûlée dates back centuries? Its exact origins are debated, with early versions found in England, Spain, and France. In Spain, a similar dessert known as Crema Catalana predates the French version, typically flavored with cinnamon and citrus zest. The French, however, are credited with perfecting the delicate custard topped with a caramelized sugar crust. This classic has been celebrated in France since at least the 17th century, and every spoonful brings a touch of nostalgia.
Why Beginners Love Crème Brûlée
At Cook’n With Class Paris, crème brûlée consistently stars in one of our Beginner-friendly Cooking Classes in Paris – the French Desserts Class. Why? Because it’s simple yet elegant and mastering crème brûlée will boost your confidence in tackling more easy French desserts.
How to Approach French Desserts as a Beginner
Easy French desserts start with fresh ingredients, patience, and simple instructions. There’s no need for elaborate equipment or complicated techniques. With crème brûlée, the magic lies in the caramelization—burning sugar in your kitchen has never been so welcome!
A Lesson from The Great British Bake Off
Fans of The Great British Bake Off might recall Series 6, where contestants were challenged to create crème brûlée without using a culinary torch. Instead, they relied on their ovens to achieve the perfect caramelized crust—a method possible but tricky. Achieving the ideal balance of cool custard and hot caramel requires precision; the custard must remain chilled while the sugar caramelizes evenly under a broiler without overheating the custard beneath.
Our Foolproof Crème Brûlée Recipe
Follow our chef-approved crème brûlée recipe from the Cook’n With Class e-book “10 French Desserts You Should Stop Buying and Start Making at Home“:
Classic Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
CUSTARD
- 400 Milliliters(1/2 Liter) Heavy Cream (30-35% fat cream)
- 100 Grams(3.5 oz) Whole Milk
- 100 Sugar
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 1 Vanilla Pod
TOPPING
- 6 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar (about 1 tablespoon per crème brûlée)
Instructions
- Bring milk and cream & vanilla or other flavor like Tonka beans, to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, mix the egg yolks with the sugar.
- Pour the hot cream over the yolk and sugar mixture, pouring slowly and gently mix the eggs to temper them. (This way we are bringing up the temperature of the eggs little by little, with little risk of cooking the egg). Keep stirring with the whisk or the back of the ladle as not to incorporate air, creating bubbles.
- Arrange 6 molds in a roasting pan and fill the molds with the cream mixture. Add enough water to the pan to come to 3/4 of the way up to the outsides of the molds. Bake in a preheated oven at 110ºC/230ºF for approximately 30 minutes, or until set. (The water around the molds should not boil or evaporate completely) Remove from the oven and cool in the fridge.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the top of the custard with granulated sugar and use a torch to caramelise until it becomes a dark brown color.
Notes
To flavor your crème brûlée:
If you are using fruits that are not too juicy (i.e. not peaches but figs, raspberries, strawberries etc), place them raw into the bottom of your ramekins before pouring on the cream. Other fruits like apples or pears would need to be sautéed or caramelized before but as these are more difficult to work with it takes a bit of fiddling before you get the consistency you want. If you want to do a chocolate crème brulée, you can add a few squares of chocolate but you would need to add an additional egg yolk. This can be said for any ingredient that would add a good amount of liquid to the batter including juicier fruits.Take Your French Dessert Skills Further
Once you’ve perfected this easy crème brûlée recipe, personalize your dessert with fruits, chocolate, or flavors like lavender and tonka beans.
Ready for your next easy French dessert adventure? Before or after attending our popular French dessert class in Paris, grab our chef-approved e-book “10 French Desserts You Should Stop Buying and Start Making at Home”. Bring Parisian charm directly into your kitchen.
Looking for a thoughtful gift? Our reusable tote bags featuring an illustrated crème brûlée recipe are delightful for friends who love French desserts.
Which Easy French Dessert Recipes Will You Try Next?
Now that crème brûlée is within your grasp, tell us—which easy French dessert from our e-book will you master next? Share your dessert journey with us!