Description
Indulge in the rich and creamy decadence of an Authentic French Crème Brûlée Tart. This classic dessert combines a buttery tart crust with a luscious custard filling topped with a caramelized sugar crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the tart crust:
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water
For the filling:
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
For the topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
Instructions
- To make the crust: Combine flour, powdered sugar, and cold butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and press it into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess and prick the bottom with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely.
- For the filling: Heat cream, milk, and scraped vanilla bean (or extract) in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
- Pour the custard into the cooled tart shell. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 30–35 minutes, or until just set with a slight wobble in the center. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar over the surface and caramelize with a kitchen torch until golden and crisp. Allow the topping to cool for 1–2 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For best results, use a kitchen torch for caramelizing. If using your oven broiler, watch closely to avoid burning.
- You can make the tart up to a day ahead and brûlée just before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 220mg
