This TikTok 3-Ingredient Crème Brulée Recipe Hack is Genius!
Fancy dessert with only 3-ingredients? Yes, please!
Don’t assume this delicious custard treat can only be enjoyed at a fancy restaurant, because this easy crème brulée recipe can be made at home using just 3 ingredients. This yummy idea featured on Delish.com has been going viral on TikTok and is a fun quarantine recipe idea to consider making while social distancing!
My kids and I have been inspired lately from TikTok videos, and have been trying some of the popular hacks and recipes = including the irresistible viral whipped coffee we all seem to be loving!
I’m so glad we decided to add this crème brulée to our quarantine bucket list — it turned out awesome and delicious!
Yep, vanilla ice cream can be made into crème brulée!
I love this easy recipe hack! You only need a few ingredients to make this recipe – 1/2 cup melted vanilla ice cream, an egg yolk, and about 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar for the caramelized topping. Note that this is for 1 serving.
It doesn’t get easier than that!
The ice cream egg mixture gets baked in a water bath for about 30 minutes, and then covered and cooled in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The result is a sweet creamy custard.
Then you’ll melt granulated sugar in a pan on the stove and pour it over your custard. This will yield a satisfying caramelized crackling texture to break through with a spoon, just like traditional crème brulée made using a kitchen torch!
Hip Recipe Tips:
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- Use this deep style ramekin, if possible. This recipe did NOT work for me the first time I made it because I used the shallow style crème brulée ramekins, and the egg overcooked through. The texture was eggier, and not as appealing.
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- After baking, you’ll want the middle to still be jiggly. For me 30 minutes was perfect. The first time I made this crème brulée, the suggested 40 minutes was too long.
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- The stovetop sugar melting step is a little tricky, but after trying it once you’ll get the hang of it. Resist the urge to add water. Just stir the sugar around in a small saucepan, and eventually, it will melt and become liquid-like and slightly brown — just be careful not to burn it! You’ll have to pour fast as it hardens quickly.
Hooray for crème brulée success!
You’ll end up with a creamy custard and that carmelized sugar topping with a satisfying crack when you dig in. I’m glad I didn’t give up after that initial fail… and this time we nailed it!
If you’re wanting to prepare a special dessert for after dinner, definitely give this easy 3-ingredient crème brulée a try.
Plus, you may gain a few cool mom points along the way!
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Holy crap I love me some creme brûlée. I want to try this!
I think you’ll love this then! enjoy <3
I love making creme brulee! It is often perceived as fancy and difficult, but it’s pretty easy. If anyone wants to try it, here is the recipe I use.
Creme Brulee
Ingredients
6 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2-4 tablespoons sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a medium sized heatproof bowl until thick and creamy.
Heat cream over medium heat until just about to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Temper egg mixture by adding hot cream one tablespoon at a time, whisking briskly, for about 10 tablespoons. Add the punch of salt. Add the rest of the cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking the entire time. It will create foam. Skim and remove the foam.
Pour hot mixture into individual ramekins (5-6) and place them in a larger baking pan. Place the pan on the oven rack, then add hot water to the pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake in preheated oven anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. They are done when you shake the dish gently and the centers of the custard jiggle just a little. The jiggle shouldn’t be liquid, but rather more gelatin.
Remove from oven and let them cool in the water for 5-10 minutes. Remove and let cool on the counter for another 15 minutes (you don’t want to put really hot cookware in the refrigerator, or you risk it cracking). Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight.
Sprinkle with remaining sugar and brulee with torch or under broiler.
Tip – save the egg whites for meringue cookies, angel food cake, omelets, etc.
Thank you!!
Yum! Thanks for sharing!
Flan is easier and little ingredients also.
Is the 1/2 cup melted ice cream measured BEFORE you melt it or after? kinda a huge difference!
1/2 cup melted is what I went with.
I remember watching Alton Brown or one of those chefs with shows several years ago and he said if you have surprise guests and you want to serve them a “fancy” dessert, just empty vanilla pudding cups into ramekins, sprinkle sugar on top, blast it with a torch to carmelize the top and heat it up and no one would know you didn’t make creme brulee from scratch.
Oh that’s a fun tip!
Alton Brown’s own crème brulée recipe is actually very easy, and pretty forgiving. I’ve made it for years, and even sometimes wing it and add an extra yolk. He even has a little video showing proper torch technique!
Love doing it the traditional way with real vanilla bean. I’ve also added lime juice & zest plus mango puree, or lemon juice & zest plus blueberries, for a fun twist.
Creme brulee is actually pretty easy and is only a few ingredients anyway.
I would suggest looking for a creme brulee recipe online and making it.
And a torch is $10 on Amazon, but you can burn the sugar in the broiler.
I make my caramel in the microwave! Super easy!! Google the exact steps…
great but give credit to tasty who made the recipe you copied it exactly.
Wow! Can you read….. It clearly states on top it’s a Tiktok recipe. Looks like that’s where she found it so who knows where it originated from. She is not taking credit for it, just sharing it.
There is no copyright law for recipes so if she saw it on Tik Tok that covers it in my opinion but I do appreciate the sentiment. So important to give credit where it’s due.
Did you use the 4oz Ramekins or 10oz