Cardamom Orange Crème Brûlée
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This cardamom orange crème brûlée has vanilla bean paste, orange zest, and a caramelized sugar top for a super easy, but elegant, dessert! This is one of my favorites to serve to a crowd or for a romantic dinner for two. Made from scratch in the oven, this recipe is also make-ahead and the perfect dessert for beginners.
Valentine’s Day is this week!! Marc and I usually don’t do much aside from eating dessert and drinking wine while watching New Girl for the millionth time. But, I’m always looking for an excuse to make a fancy dessert, because well, it’s me. My cheesecake red velvet trifles and coffee cardamom cake are usual go-tos, but honestly, nothing beats a good French créme brûlée.
And like, ok, I’m biased because it’s my favorite dessert. But honestly, once my mom taught me how to make a perfect créme brûlée, there was no going back. Let’s be real, nothing is better than custard with crunchy, caramelized topping.
As a trained pastry chef, I have made crème brûlée dozens of times and I have a few tips and tricks to make sure that it comes out amazing every single time. While it’s a fairly simple process, I definitely recommend reading through the recipe twice before you start to make sure you’re hitting every step!
My favorite dessert maybe ever
This recipe is somewhat based off of the crème brûlée that my mom made for my birthday when I was a kid. (Yes, I was a weird child and always wanted crème brûlée for my birthday “cake”). It has orange liqueur for a bitter, boozy element and a crisp, caramelized sugar top. I also added some cardamom and orange for a little warmth and citrusy flavor.
- Crème brûlée looks hella fancy and people will find you very impressive. (But, it’s a trick cause this recipe is actually super easy.)
- Orange and cardamom might be one of the best flavor combos of all time.
- This dessert is romantic for at-home date nights, but it’s also lovely to serve to a crowd. It’s a dinner party go-to!
- The recipe is foolproof. Seriously, you can’t mess it up.
The ingredients are so simple
- Egg yolks – these are a key ingredient in créme brûlée. It thickens the custard and makes it rich and decadent.
- Sugar – you’ll need sugar to sweeten the custard and caramelize on top.
- Heavy whipping cream – this is also a classic ingredient in crème brûlée. It makes for a super creamy, thick custard. While you can also use half-and-half or whole milk, it will not be as thick and rich as heavy cream.
- Oranges – we’ll use the peel to add a citrus flavor. If you can find them, blood oranges are absolutely delicious in this recipe! Or, switch it up with lemon peel instead.
- Vanilla bean paste – this is a paste made with vanilla bean seeds. It has the convenience (and affordability) of extract but has more vanilla flavor. Use vanilla extract if you don’t have paste!
- Orange liqueur – for a little bitterness and boozy flavor. I like Triple Sec but any orange liqueur will work. You can also try bourbon, rum, or amaretto!
- Cardamom – I highly recommend fresh cardamom for the best flavor, but pre-ground will work in a pinch. You can also use cinnamon!
How to make this recipe step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Then, peel the orange and combine the peel with the cream in a small saucepan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes on the stove top and remove from heat. Cover and infuse for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper the eggs with a bit of cream, and then whisk in the remaining cream.
- Then, stir in the cardamom, orange liqueur, and vanilla bean paste.
You want to mix everything thoroughly, but don’t overly-whisk the custard. The mixture will have small bubbles but shouldn’t have too much air mixed in. If you don’t want those bubbles to bake into the custard, you can skim them off with a spoon. (It won’t affect the texture that much either way.)
- Divide the custard between shallow ramekins for even baking. Place on a sheet pan and pour boiling water in the pan around the ramekins to create a water bath. Bake until the créme brûlée is set, but still a bit jiggly. Cool completely.
- Once the créme brûlée is cooled, sprinkle with sugar. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar.
- Serve with whipped cream and berries. Enjoy!
The créme brûlée is done when it’s set but still a bit jiggly. Kind of like Jello or a thick pudding! It should not be liquid-y at all. The custard should never boil, bubble up, or brown.
Topping ideas
You can serve this recipe for two, for a crowd, and for the holidays. It’s one of my favorite desserts for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter, or even Mother’s Day. Also, crème brûlée is amazing on its own but you can also add toppings to make it extra special!
- Whipped cream + fruit – my favorite is strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Candied orange – add a couple of strips of candied orange peel with a sprig of mint.
- White chocolate – shave some white chocolate curls over the top. So pretty!
Secrets for the best créme brûlée
Créme brûlée is super easy to make (honestly, I think it’s even easier than baking a cake) but there are a few tricks to make sure it comes out great every time.
- Scald the milk – this supposedly breaks down the milk to make the custard nice and smooth. It will also allow us to infuse it with citrus flavor without the texture of orange zest.
- Whip the eggs & sugar – you need to whisk the yolks and sugar for a few minutes to add air, dissolve the sugar, and thicken the yolks. This will make for smooth, thick custard.
- Use a water bath – this is one of the most important steps! Using a water bath will protect the créme brûlée from direct heat, making for a more even bake. Skipping this step may lead to sweet scrambled eggs instead of custard.
Refrigerating leftovers
Créme brûlée is best when eaten right away, but you can make the custards without the sugar topping in advance. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap to the tops of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 2-3 days.
When you’re ready to serve, add the sugar, caramelize, and enjoy! I don’t recommend freezing the custard, because it doesn’t defrost well.
No torch?
If you don’t have a torch, don’t worry. My mom actually never used a torch until I got her one a few years ago. To make this recipe without a torch, place an oven rack as close to the top of your oven as possible. Broil the sugar for about 5 minutes, occasionally rotating the pan, until the sugar is evenly melted and caramelized. Don’t overcook or it will affect the texture of the custard!
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Cardamom Orange Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 1 large orange
- 1 pt heavy whipping cream
- 5 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly-ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp orange liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp. vanilla extract)
- Whipped cream and berries, for serving (optional)
Equipment
- 6 ramekins
- Cooking torch (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Then, start boiling a large kettle (or pot) of water.
- Peel the orange with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the bitter pith as much as possible. Place the orange peels in a pot, and add the heavy whipping cream. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Gently simmer for 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and infuse for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
- Once the cream is infused, remove the orange peels from the heavy cream with the tines of a fork, and discard. While whisking vigorously, pour about a 1/2 cup of the orange-cream to the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Once tempered, slowly whisk in the remaining orange-cream until combined. Add the cardamom, orange liqueur, and vanilla bean paste (or extract).
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve and into a liquid measuring cup to remove any lumps or larger chunks of cardamom.
- Then, divide the custard evenly between six ramekins. Place the ramekins in a 9×13 cake pan or on a deep baking sheet. Place in the pre-heated oven and immediately pour the boiling water in the pan/baking sheet around the ramekins to create a water bath. Avoid pouring any water inside the actual crème brûlée! You will want the water to come about halfway up the ramekins.
- Bake, checking for doneness around 30-40 minutes. The crème brûlée is done when it's set but still a bit jiggly. Do not let the custard boil or brown! When they are finished baking, remove the crème brûlées from the oven by sliding a large spatula under each ramekin. Let them cool at room-temperature for about 1 hour, and then refrigerate for at least one hour to chill.
- Right before serving, sprinkle each custard with about 1-2 Tablespoons of the remaining sugar. Using a torch, caramelize the sugar until it's melted and golden-brown with some darker spots (I personally like mine extra caramelized).
- Serve immediately with whipped cream and berries, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Originally posted October 10, 2018.
Oh heck yes I am all over this!! I love your gorgeous series of photos. Pinning this now (:
Thank you! <3
The amount of Vanilla Extract is the same as the Vanilla Bean Paste?
Hey there! It’s either 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste OR 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. 🙂 There’s more details in the recipe card as well!