Crystal Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

This dessert marries two French classics: the crackly caramelized top of a creme brulee and the crisp, buttery shell of a tart. The result is a portable, sliceable brulee you can pick up and eat.

The pastry comes first. Cold butter cut into flour, bound with just enough egg and ice water, makes a tender, flaky crust. Chilling the dough, and the lined shells, before baking is what keeps it from shrinking and slumping in the oven.

The filling is a proper vanilla bean custard, heavy cream steeped with a split vanilla bean, then tempered into the yolks. Straining it removes the bean bits and any cooked egg, leaving the custard glassy-smooth.

The signature moment is the torch. A thin layer of sugar over the chilled custard, blasted with a kitchen torch, sets into that shatter-crisp caramel you crack with a spoon.

Chef Tips

• Keep the butter and water cold and chill the dough and lined molds; cold pastry stays flaky and won’t shrink.
• Steep the vanilla bean in the warm cream, then temper it slowly into the yolks so they don’t scramble.
• Strain the custard before baking for a silky, lump-free texture.
• Chill the custard fully before torching, and use a thin, even layer of sugar for a glassy crust.

Variations

• Use vanilla bean paste or good extract if whole beans are hard to find.
• Top with raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of seasonal berries and whipped cream.
• Add a little citrus zest or a splash of liqueur to the custard.