Blissfully creamy Crème Brûlée infused with the hazelnut-kissed chocolatey goodness of Nutella!
Nutella has got to be one of the most monumental culinary creations to come out of Italy. I know that’s saying a lot considering how stunning their food is, but come on. A smooth and creamy chocolate spread infused with toasted hazelnuts? That’s almost too good to be true…
But thank God it isn’t!
Being the Nutella fanatic that I am, I’m always trying to figure out ways to incorporate this spectacular spread into desserts. I’ve done pies, brownies, cookies, even ice cream drumsticks! However, I still had yet to combine this smooth and dreamy spread with one of my favorite exquisitely creamy desserts…Crème Brûlée.
This is what happens when you combine a French classic with an Italian confection…you get the most luxuriously divine dessert your tastebuds have ever seen. This Nutella Crème Brûlée is lusciously smooth, supremely creamy, and enhanced with the perfect amount of hazelnut chocolate sweetness. You’ll be licking the bottom of the dish, I guarantee it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Few ingredients: Believe it or not, this recipe only requires 4 ingredients–egg yolks, sugar, Nutella and heavy cream. That’s it!
Simple to make: Just stir all of the ingredients together in a bowl, pour into ramekins, then bake in a water bath for about 40 minutes.
Perfect for making ahead: Since Crème Brûlée requires cooling/chilling time, it’s actually perfect to make the day before so that it can set up in the refrigerator overnight. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (If it lasts that long…) Just make sure not to caramelize the sugar until right before serving.
Heavenly: In case I haven’t emphasized it enough, this Nutella Crème Brûlée is ABSOLUTELY divine. The crisp caramelized sugar ceiling combined with the sinfully smooth and creamy Nutella-kissed custard is simply TO-DIE-FOR.
Tips for Making Nutella Crème Brûlée
Add the heavy cream slowly: Even though all of the ingredients are combined in one bowl, the order definitely matters. You’ll need to whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and Nutella together COMPLETELY before adding the heavy cream. Also, when adding the heavy cream, whisk it in slowly and gradually. This will reduce the possibility of lumps.
Don’t skip the water bath: Water baths are absolutely essential when it comes to making Crème Brûlée. That’s because they provide a moist environment in the oven, ensuring gentle and even cooking. This prevents overcooking the custard, and results in a texture that’s smooth and creamy throughout.
Don’t over-bake: Crème Brûlée should look set on the top and along the edges of the ramekin, but still jiggle in the center when the pan is gently shaken. The custard will set up in the center as it cools.
Adjust baking time based on ramekins: As you can see, I baked my Crème Brûlée in deep, rather than shallow ramekins. I prefer deep ramekins since there’s less of a chance of hot water from the water bath sloshing into the ramekins when transferring the pan in and out of the oven. If using shallow ramekins, reduce the baking time accordingly, and check it often.
How to Store Crème Brûlée
Once the Crème Brûlée has completely cooled, place all of them into one large pan, and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. You can also wrap each one individually, but I’ve found it’s much quicker to place them all into one pan together. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to caramelize the sugar right before serving!
Can I Freeze Crème Brûlée?
Yes, you can! Crème Brûlée can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Don’t caramelize the sugar, if freezing. When you’re ready to eat one, put it in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight. Take it out, sprinkle the sugar on top, and torch away!
Nutella Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup nutella
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6-7 teaspoons granulated sugar, for caramelizing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Lay a kitchen towel along the bottom of a large baking pan or roasting pan. Place six 4-5 ounce ramekins on top of the towel; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, the 1/3 cup of sugar, and Nutella together until smooth and combined. Gradually whisk in the cream until mixture is smooth and incorporated. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve to get out any lumps that might have formed.
- Divide custard evenly among the 6 ramekins, then set the pan on the oven rack. Carefully pour enough hot water into the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until custards are set around the edges and jiggle slightly in the center, about 40-50 minutes.*
- Transfer ramekins to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Place ramekins on a baking pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over each custard. Use a small kitchen torch to caramelize the tops. Enjoy!