Ina Garten Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Ina Garten chocolate crème brûlée is a rich make-ahead dessert made with bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream and a hint of espresso, ready in 5 hours 30 minutes. This easy dessert fits Christmas dinner, date night and dinner party menus, and it chills in the fridge until you torch the sugar.

Pull the custards from the oven while the centers still jiggle, because they keep setting as they cool and chill. Bake them until firm all the way through and you end up with grainy, overcooked custard.

Ina Garten first picked up crème brûlée from a Julia Child cookbook, and her husband Jeffrey fell for it right away. She then made it her own with Swiss chocolate and a touch of coffee, a recipe that appears in Cooking for Jeffrey (2016).

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Chocolate Crème Brûlée

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

560

kcal

A silky chocolate custard bakes gently in a water bath, then chills until firm. A thin layer of sugar is torched into a glassy caramel crust right before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large egg
  

• 4 extra-large egg yolks
  

• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for topping
  

• 3 cups heavy cream
  

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, chopped
  

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
  

• 1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

Directions

• Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 275°F. Place six 8-ounce ramekins in a roasting pan large enough to hold them completely flat.
• Whisk the eggs: Whisk 1 extra-large egg, 4 extra-large egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large heatproof bowl until just combined. Stop as soon as it comes together, so you don't whip in extra air.
• Melt the chocolate: Scald 3 cups heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Then take it off the heat and whisk in 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules until the chocolate melts.
• Combine the custard: Slowly whisk the chocolate cream into the egg mixture, so the eggs warm up without scrambling. Then whisk in 1/4 cup coffee liqueur and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
• Fill the ramekins: Transfer the custard to a large measuring cup and pour it into the ramekins until full. The spout makes it easy to fill each one without spilling.
• Bake in a water bath: Set the pan in the oven and carefully pour in enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are set but the middles still jiggle a little when gently shaken.
• Cool and chill: Lift the custards out of the water bath and cool them to room temperature. Then wrap them in plastic and refrigerate until firm.
• Torch and serve: Spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over each custard. Hold a kitchen blowtorch one inch from the surface until the sugar caramelizes evenly, then let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tools for this recipe

• Sweese 8-ounce porcelain ramekins, set of 6, Cuisinart 16-inch roasting pan with rack, Sondiko refillable butane kitchen torch, Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa bars, 12 pack. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make chocolate crème brûlée ahead of time?

Yes, the custards can be baked and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Wait to add the sugar and caramelize the tops until just before serving, so the crust stays crisp.

Can I use the broiler if I don't have a blowtorch?

You can, but Ina Garten says a kitchen blowtorch is better than the broiler. The broiler heats the whole custard and can warm the cream, while the torch only hits the sugar.

Can I leave out the coffee liqueur?

Swap in extra heavy cream or whole milk for the 1/4 cup of liqueur and the custard will still set. You lose a little of the coffee flavor, though the espresso granules still add some depth.

How do I know when the custards are done baking?

The edges should be set while the center still wobbles a little when you gently shake the pan. They finish setting as they cool and chill, so don't wait for them to look firm in the oven.

What's the most common mistake with crème brûlée?

Overbaking is the big one, because it turns the silky custard grainy. Using the water bath and pulling the ramekins while the middles still jiggle keeps the texture creamy.