Creme Brulee’ has to be one of my most favorite of desserts. Silky, creamy, elegant, a sexy kind of dessert. And although this luscious custard only has a few ingredients, sometimes it can be a big fail in baking it. Traditionally it is baked in a water bath in the oven. If your oven is not calibrated correctly and if you happen to leave the custard in the oven just a little too long you end up with a lumpy, rubbery poor excuse of a pudding.
Those of you who have taken cooking classes with me, and who have been following along on social media see that I have been playing with the Instant Pot and Air Fryer quite a bit. You could say it has been a challenge for me to use my favorite recipes from the restaurant and convert them to use in these new kitchen devices. I actually did not want to purchase one more kitchen tool, because currently I have more than I will ever need. But some of you were so persistent in requesting cooking classes using the Instant Pot and Air Fryer that yes, I made the investment. And my husband was thrilled to death when he found the rather large instant pot boxes that evidently I did not hide well enough in our basement. After tasting the creme brulee’ I made this past week, he was well in agreement that the Instant Pot was a good investment.
This recipe will make eight individual creme brulee’s. I did cut the recipe in half for my trial. I really did not need or want an excuse to eat that many creme brulee’s. I had four ramekins on my instant pot baking sling, and could easily have set my trivet on top with another four ramekins. Or because these literally bake so fast you can bake four at a time.
Lucious, lovely, creamy, perfect and EASY creme brulee’ in the Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
2/3 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
3 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean scraped or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
raw sugar for torching
fresh berries for garnish
Instructions
Place your heavy cream and vanilla seeds or extract in a medium sauce pan. Heat over a low or medium heat. While the cream is heating place the sugar and egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Slowly add a ladle at a time of the warm cream to the egg yolks, continually whisking. Once the cream and yolks are fully combined strain the custard mixture with a fine mesh strainer. I find it easier to strain into a pitcher so that you can easily pour the custard into the ramekins.
Evenly divide the custard between eight ramekins. Place a piece of foil on each top of the ramekins. Place one cup of water in the instant pot. Place four ramekins on the baking sling and lower into the instant pot. Place a trivet on top and add four more ramekins. ( If you are making half the recipe you will have just four ramekins. If you do not have a trivet, although I believe all instant pots come with one, you can also bake four custards at a time.
Secure the lid of the instant pot, make sure the pressure valve is set to seal. Use your manual function and set your cooking time for seven minutes. When the cooking time is up, allow for a 20 minute natural release. Release any remaining pressure.
Carefully remove the ramekins, and the foil. Place the ramekins on a sheet tray and place in the refrigerate. Chill for at least 4 hours. Remove the custards from the refrigerator 10 – 15 minutes before you would like to serve them. Sprinkle a nice layer of raw sugar over the top of the custard, using the torch caramelize the sugar until its nice and golden. Garnish with fresh berries and a sprig of mint.
