Imagine cracking through a crisp, golden caramelized sugar top to reveal a silky-smooth, luxurious custard that melts in your mouth - all without spending hours in the kitchen! This pressure cooker crème brûlée is a game-changing dessert that brings French patisserie magic right to your home, transforming a traditionally complex dessert into an effortless culinary masterpiece. Whether you're a novice cook or a seasoned chef, this recipe will have you looking like a dessert genius with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the water bath by adding 1 cup of water to the pressure cooker base and placing the trivet inside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thick.
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly to incorporate.
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a smooth texture.
- Divide the custard evenly among 4 ramekins, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Cover each ramekin tightly with aluminum foil to prevent water from entering.
- Carefully place the ramekins on the trivet inside the pressure cooker.
- Close the pressure cooker lid and set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once cooking is complete, allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Carefully remove the ramekins and let them cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the custards for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully set.
- Before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over each custard.
- Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it turns golden brown and forms a crisp top.
- Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Use room temperature egg yolks for smoother tempering and better custard consistency.
- Strain the custard mixture carefully to ensure a perfectly smooth texture without any egg bits.
- Cover ramekins tightly with foil to prevent water from seeping into the custard.
- For the most even caramelization, use a kitchen torch and move it constantly to avoid burning the sugar.
- If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can broil the sugar topping, but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Chill the custards thoroughly before caramelizing for the best texture and flavor.
- Use fresh, high-quality vanilla extract for the most authentic taste.
- Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden completely before serving for that perfect crisp top.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 623kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: 340mg
