Creme Brulee For The Holidays

This post contains affiliate links and is a sponsored post by Dixie Crystals. All opinions are my own.

Whew! This has been a wirlwind of a blog hop. I am blown away at all the amazing posts I’m seeing. Todays theme is all about holiday desserts and sweet treats so I wanted to share my creme brulee for the holidays recipes. Using my basic recipe you can adjust it four different ways to create four favorite holiday flavors.

A big thank you to Dixie Crystals for sponsoring my post. I enjoyed using their clean, pure, and very fine sugar to make my recipe.

Take a look below.

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Creme Brulee is a french custard dessert. The name means burnt cream, but the only thing that is burned is the sugar crust on top.

Like so many I was too nervous to make something fancy like creme brulee because with a name like that it’s got to be hard. Right? I was wrong. For me this dessert ranks up there with the easiest there is. No kidding! If I can do it you can, too. There aren’t many ingredients and mixing is a breeze. There are just a few tips to remember.

Creme Brulee For the Holidays Tips

• Ramekins are usually used to create individual desserts because they are shallow. You can also use a 4 oz. jar or even a small coffee cup. Anything you use needs to be able to be put in an oven.
• It’s preferred to use a torch to lightly brown the sugar crust, but you can also use your broiler for 2-4 minutes or until the sugar is light brown. I don’t like mine too dark because it can taste burnt.
• It’s best to “brulee” the tops right before serving and after the custard has cooled in the refridgerator. The goal is to serve a creme brulee that is cold at the bottom, but warm and crisp at the top.
• Always remember the salt. I know it sounds weird to put salt into a dessert, but each recipe only calls for a dash of salt which helps bring out the flavors.
• I prefer to chill the whole mixture for a few hours before pouring into my ramekins. This gives me a more silky texture in the end.
• If there are bubbles on top of your mixture after pouring it into the ramekins simply use your torch to pop the bubbles.

Creme Brulee For The Holidays Recipes

Here is the basic recipe for my creme brulee. Each recipe is just slightly adjusted or extra ingredients are added to create the holiday flavors.

4.34 from 3 votes

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Creme Brulee For The Holidays

A basic and easy creme brulee recipe changed slightly to create your favorite holiday flavors.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Cooling Time 4 hours

Servings 4 people

Author Dru

Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy cream
• 3 Egg yolks from large eggs
• 1/2 Tbl. Pure Vanilla Extract Artificial vanilla will not give you the best flavor.
• 1 dash Salt 1/4 tsp.
• 2/3 cup Sugar divided
• 1 tsp. Butter

Instructions

1. In medium sauce pan add 2 cups of heavy cream and warm over medium heat until bubbly around the edges stirring often. Remove from heat.

2. While cream is warming add 3 egg yolks, salt, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of sugar to stand mixer. Mix until combined

3. When cream is warm add 1/2 cup of it to the egg mixture with the mixer running at medium speed. Continue adding 1/2 cup increments of the cream to the egg mixture until it's all added. Mix until the mixture looks foamy on top.

4. Cool for 15 minutes and then cover and place mixing bowl in the refrigerator for two hours.

5. Before removing mixture from the refrigerator boil 4-6 cups of water in a large pot or tea kettle. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

6. Fold a kitchen towel in half and place inside the cake pan.

7. Lightly butter the insides of 4 ramekins and place them inside the cake pan on top of the towel. This will keep them from moving around. Make sure the ramekins aren't touching.

8. Stir the mixture before dividing it between the 4 ramekins.

9. If there are bubbles on top pop them with the torch.

10. Place the pan in the oven and add the boiling water to the cake pan until it reaches approximately half way up the ramekins. Try not to get boiling water inside the creme brulee mixture.

11. Bake for 35-40 minutes without opening the oven door. The creme brulee will still be jiggly in the middle and will solidify as it cools. Remove from oven.

12. Remove ramekins from the hot water and let cool for an hour. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until cold. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

13. When you are ready to serve sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the creme brulee and roll the ramekins around until the sugar fully covers the tops.

14. Using your torch lightly brown the tops to create a hard crust of melted sugar. You can also use a broiler by placing the ramekins on a cookie sheet and placing them under a high broiler for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown.

15. Serve alone or with a few raspberries on top.

Creme Brulee Holiday Variations

Egg Nog Creme Brulee

For the egg nog creme brulee simply replace the 2 cups of cream with 2 cups of egg nog and add 1/4 cup of sugar instead of the 1/2 cup to the mixture. Do not use the light version of egg nog. Add 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon to the cream as it’s warming.

Peppermint Creme Brulee

For the peppermint creme brulee add 1/2 tsp. of peppermint extract to the egg mixture. Once the top has been bruleed top with crushed candy canes.

Gingerbread Creme Brulee

For the gingerbread creme brulee add 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup in place of 1/4 cup of sugar. Add 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and 1 tsp. of ginger to the cream while it’s warming.

Cranberry Creme Brulee

For the cranberry creme brulee make a cranberry sauce using the directions on the back of a package of cranberries from the produce section of the grocery store. I make half of what it says to make. Let it cool. You could also use whole berry cranberry sauce from the store. Add a tablespoon of this mixture to the bottom of each ramekin before topping with creme brulee mixture. Once the sugar has been bruleed before serving add another tablespoon on top.

I hope you try this amazing dessert out. It’s amazing and your guests will be thrilled.

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