Crème brûlée is not only elegant but nearly as simple as a dessert can be. And the secret to getting it right is to gently cook it to the right temperature, and not a degree higher. Sous vide cooking makes this delicate custard foolproof, and we have all the thermal tips you need.

Custard Temperatures

The protein in eggs begins to firm up in the temperature range of 140–150°F (60–66°C). But egg mixtures—custards—set around 160–180°F (71–82°C). The more diluted the egg mixture, the higher the doneness temperature will be. The target doneness temperature for crème brûlée is 176°F (80°C).

Cooking Temperature Determines the Final Texture of Custards

Custards like crème brûlée, cheesecake, and pumpkin pie are sensitive to high temperatures. The cooking temperature is what determines the final texture.

In our post, How to Bake the Perfect Cheesecake, we explored two different baking methods. One with a high starting temperature and low finishing temperature. Another one baked in a water bath at a low temperature. Even though the filling was exactly the same, the textures were dramatically different. That’s because egg protein cooked at high temperatures becomes firm very quickly. But when egg protein is cooked slowly and gently at lower temperatures its texture is smooth and creamy.

Cook it Gently

Crème brûlée is a very soft-set custard and needs to be cooked gently to get its delicate texture just right. The traditional method of cooking creme brulee is to bake it in a low-temperature oven in a water bath for even heating (see our post, Thermal Secrets for Crème Brûlée).  Even with this gentle method, it’s still possible to over bake the custards, resulting in curdled texture. When it comes to crème brûlée, accuracy and precision with temperature control matter.

Sous Vide Cooking: Precise Temperature Control

Sous vide is a cooking method where food is submerged in a temperature-controlled water bath held at the food’s desired doneness temperature. Because of the carefully controlled cooking environment, the food’s internal temperature cannot exceed its target temperature. Brilliant! This method allows the custard to cook very gently, and it’s the foolproof secret to never overcooking crème brûlée.

Most foods are cooked in plastic bags when cooked sous vide, but our crème brûlée are cooked in their own serving vessels, simple canning jars. The jars and lids are made to withstand being submerged in water at high temperatures, so they work perfectly for our sustained low-temperature underwater cook.

For this project, we used ChefSteps’ new sous vide circulator, Joule. It’s super easy to use and maintains a very accurate, stable water temperature throughout the duration of the cook.

We also used a Thermapen^® Mk4 to verify the internal temperatures of the cream and the crème brûlée.