White Chocolate Creme Brulee

White chocolate takes creme brulee to the next level! This decadent dessert has an ultra smooth and creamy flavour and is a great option to follow very flavourful or spicy main dishes.

Servings

4 Servings

PREP TIME

5 mins

COOK TIME

1 hour 15 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 20 mins + chill time

Difficulty

Intermediate

Wine pairing

Dessert wine

Ingredients
 2 cups heavy cream
 180 g white chocolate
 4 egg yolks
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 ¼ cup caster sugar + 4 tablespoons
 ¼ tsp salt
Ingredients
 2 cups heavy cream
 6.50 oz white chocolate
 4 egg yolks
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 ¼ cup caster sugar + 4 tablespoons
 ¼ tsp salt

Directions

1

Combine the ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F (140°C fan-forced).

2. In a large bowl, mix the egg yolks, vanilla extract, sugar and salt until combined.

3. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it reaches just below boiling point (you’ll see steam and small bubbles around the edge of the saucepan), then remove from heat. 

4. Add the white chocolate to the cream and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

5. Add 1/4 cup of the white chocolate cream to the egg mixture, and whisk to combine. Continue adding cream in 1/4 cup increments, whisking after each addition (this is to ensure the egg yolks don’t cook and curdle).

6. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a heatproof measuring or pouring jug.

Tip: It’s easier to pour the brulee mixture into the ramekins from a jug with a spout

2

Bake the creme brulees

1. Pour the brulee mixture into four oven-proof ramekins. Place the ramekins into a roasting or baking dish with deep sides, and then add boiling water to the dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (don’t pour too much water in, or the ramekins will float!).

2. Carefully place the roasting dish in the oven, and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the brulee is mostly set but still retains a wobble in the centre. 

Tip: The brulee will still be slightly wobbly, and will set when refrigerated. At the hour mark, if the top of the brulee starts to appear “cooked”, it’s done.

3. Remove the roasting dish from the oven, and allow the creme brulees and ramekins to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3

Crisp the tops!

1. Just before serving, top each brulee with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and distribute it evenly across the top.

Tip: The easiest way to disperse the sugar evenly is to tip and gently shake or tap the ramekin.

2. Use a blow torch to heat the sugar to create a darkened, crispy top. Alternatively, place the brulees under a grill until the top is crispy.

Wine pairing

If you’re serving this for dessert, you may as well go home strong with a sticky dessert wine like a Botrytis or Muscadelle!