Luxuriously smooth and silky crème brûlée infused with rich toffee sauce and the toasty warmth of espresso!
If there’s one dessert that makes anyone feel extra fancy, it has to be Crème Brûlée. I’m not sure if it’s the elegant ramekins it’s served in, the show-stopping caramelized sugar crust, or simply the name alone. One thing’s for sure, I can never get enough of this French delicacy, and I definitely need MORE of it in my life.
So this week, I decided to incorporate some of my favorite flavors into one of the most iconic desserts of all.
Ladies and Gentledudes, I give you, the Coffee Toffee Crème Brûlée…
Infused with the smooth richness of warm espresso as well as the buttery caramelized sweetness of toffee, this crème brûlée is most likely one of the most blissful desserts to ever hit your tastebuds. The custard is incredibly smooth and creamy, and when combined with the crisp caramelized sugar crust, you have the most heavenly experience.
Despite how impressive it looks, you don’t have to dine at some lavish five-star restaurant to enjoy something as marvelous as creme brûlée. In fact, I’m always asking myself why I don’t make it more often when it’s so simple. Although this recipe requires a few more steps than your traditional crème brûlée recipe, I promise you it’s SO totally worth it. The nutty toffee sweetness pairs so incredibly well with the deep richness of the espresso. It just makes a decadent experience even MORE decadent.
You Can’t Beat Homemade Toffee Sauce
To get started, you’ll make the toffee sauce. All you have to do is combine some brown sugar, honey, and butter in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium heat. Since you’ll be using salted butter, there’s no need to add any extra salt. As you stir the mixture, it’ll eventually begin to bubble and foam. After about 2-3 minutes, reduce the heat to low, and whisk in the heavy cream. Turn the heat back up to medium, and continue stirring until the sauce is completely smooth and glossy.
The toffee sauce needs to cool completely, so I recommend pouring it into a shallow bowl and chilling it in the refrigerator. It should take about 30-40 minutes to cool to room temperature this way.
Espresso Powder is a Game Changer
Once you’ve got your cooled toffee sauce, you can get started on the custard. Begin by heating 2 cups of heavy cream in a medium saucepan along with 1 Tablespoon of instant espresso powder. If you want a more subtle coffee flavor, you can reduce the amount to 2 teaspoons. You could even leave the espresso powder out altogether, and just make it a toffee creme brûlée. I actually went back and forth quite a bit as to whether to add the espresso, but ultimately, I loved the depth of flavor that the espresso added. Either way, you won’t be disappointed!
After the espresso cream starts to simmer, take it off the heat and set it aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk some egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together until thick and pale. It should form a nice ribbon when you lift the whisk from the bowl. Now it’s time to add some of the toffee sauce you made earlier. You’ll want to do this gradually by using one hand to slowly pour the toffee sauce into the mixture while using the other hand to whisk. Once the toffee sauce is added, continue stirring until completely combined.
Don’t Rush the Tempering Process
The final step is to incorporate the espresso cream. Since you’re adding a hot liquid to an egg mixture, you’ll have to do this VERY gradually to prevent any scrambled eggs. This process is known as tempering. Start by measuring out a half cup of the hot cream, then slowly pour it in the egg mixture as you whisk with the other hand. Once fully incorporated, whisk in another half cup of cream. At this point, the temperature of the custard has warmed up enough for you to whisk in the rest of the hot cream. For added insurance, I like to pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to catch any bits of cooked egg that might’ve formed.
Deep Vs. Shallow Ramekins
Now you can pour the custard into the ramekins. Although traditional recipes call for the shallow ramekins, I prefer the deeper ones. Not only does it bake up with a much creamier consistency, but it makes it a lot easier not to accidentally slosh some of the water from the water bath into the ramekins.
Water Baths Are A Must
I know water baths can be a pain, but it’s so totally necessary when making crème brûlée. Water baths create a moist and humid environment, which is crucial for that silky smooth texture. You won’t achieve that same level of creaminess by simply placing them in the oven.
To make a water bath, lay a kitchen towel into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. The towel will prevent the ramekins from sliding around. Place the filled ramekins on top of the kitchen towel, then fill the pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the edges are set, and the centers jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
Use an oven mitt to carefully remove the crème brûlées from the water bath and onto a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool for 2 hours at room temperature before chilling them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
Just before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of granulated sugar on top of the crème brûlée, making sure to coat the entire surface. I like to use a small kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar since it provides for better control. However, if you don’t have one, you can use the oven broiler. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it the whole time!
Without a doubt, this Coffee Toffee Crème Brûlée is bound to make you feel like you’re living in the lap of luxury. With its impossibly sweet and satiny custard and that iconic caramelized sugar ceiling, you have one of the most exquisite desserts your tastebuds will ever experience…
Coffee Toffee Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
Toffee Sauce:
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Custard:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 5 egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup toffee sauce (from recipe above)
- 6-7 teaspoons granulated sugar, for caramelizing
Instructions
Make the Toffee Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, stir the brown sugar, honey, and butter over medium-high heat until mixture begins to boil and foam. Let the mixture bubble for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Increase heat to medium and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Make the Custard:
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Lay a kitchen towel along the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place six 4-5 ounce ramekins on top of the towel; set aside.
- Pour the heavy cream and espresso powder into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together until thick, pale, and forms a nice ribbon when you lift the whisk from the bowl. Gradually add the toffee sauce, whisking constantly as you pour.
- Gradually add the warm cream by whisking in about a half cup. Whisk in another half cup, then finally pour the rest of the cream in, stirring until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps that might have formed.
- Divide custard evenly among the six ramekins. Carefully pour enough hot water into the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Set the pan on the middle oven rack. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the edges are set, and the centers jiggle when you gently shake the pan. You can also use a food thermometer to take the internal temperature. It should be 170ºF/77ºC.
- Transfer ramekins to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over each custard.* Use a small kitchen torch to caramelize the tops.
- Drizzle with remaining caramel. Add a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!