Luxuriously smooth and blissfully creamy, this crème brûlée is infused with the natural sweetness of fresh blackberries!
Blackberries are without a doubt one of my favorite berries. They have the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, and they’re delicious in all kinds of desserts and baked goods. Some of my favorites include blackberry pie, blackberry crisp, and blackberry muffins.
One dessert in particular that I have been absolutely aching to incorporate this lovely berry into is crème brûlée. So this week I decided it was time to explore this heavenly dessert territory…
Seriously, WHY has it taken me SO MANY years to FINALLY make a blackberry crème brûlée???
Honestly, I can’t think of a more blissful summer experience than smooth and creamy custard infused with the natural sweetness of blackberries, can you?? And the crisp caramelized sugar ceiling on top? TO. DIE. FOR.
Why You’ll Love This Blackberry Crème Brûlée
Easy and VERY Few Ingredients: With just 6 simple ingredients, this crème brûlée is an absolute breeze to make. Cooking and straining the blackberries is probably the “toughest” part, but once that’s done, everything is combined and baked in the oven.
Great Make-Ahead Dessert: Since crème brûlée requires at least 6 hours of cooling and chilling, it’s best to make it the day before you serve it. You can even make it up to 2-3 days in advance after it’s been baked. Just make sure to store them properly by individually wrapping them with plastic wrap and keeping them chilled in the refrigerator.
Brimming with Blackberry Flavor: This recipe contains a whopping THREE cups of blackberries, making it EXTRA blackberrylicious! (That’s definitely a word.) The flavor of the berries really shines through with every single spoonful.
Exquisitely Creamy: Unlike some crème brûlées that can either be too runny or too gelatinous, this one is superbly creamy. It’s smooth, silky, and almost melts in your mouth. You’ll have a hard time NOT inhaling the entire thing after the first taste.
Helpful Hints on Making Crème Brûlée
Water Baths are a MUST: Although water baths MAY seem like one of those extra frivolous steps you can skip, when it comes to crème brûlée, they’re mandatory. Water baths provide a moist environment which ultimately prevents crème brûlée from cracking as it bakes in the oven. Water baths also help to maintain a stable, low temperature, which results in a creamy custard that’s evenly baked throughout. It’s the difference between a rubbery crème brûlée and a smooth-as-silk crème brûlée.
Strain the custard: This ensures that the custard is completely smooth and void of any lumps. It also eliminates any rogue blackberry seeds that might not have been strained out of the blackberry juice.
Cool the custard COMPLETELY: Once the crème brûlée is out of the oven, it’s crucial to let it cool completely before placing it into the refrigerator. I usually remove each ramekin from the water bath, and allow the crème brûlées to cool on a wire rack for about 2 hours before placing them in the refrigerator to chill overnight. It’s best to chill the crème brûlée for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Cover the ENTIRE surface with sugar: To get a nice caramelized crust, make sure the entire surface of the custard is covered in an even layer of granulated sugar. If there are any bare/exposed spots, they have a tendency to burn/curdle when hit with the flame. My favorite technique is to sprinkle a teaspoon of granulated sugar on top of the custard, pick up the ramekin, and tilt it in a swirling motion as the sugar moves across the surface of the custard. This ensures nice and even coverage.
When is crème brûlée done baking?
The best way to test for doneness is to gently shake the water bath pan. The custard should be set around the edges but still have a slight jiggle in the center, similar to jello. If you’re still unsure, you can also use an instant-read thermometer. If the temperature of the center of the custard registers 170ºF (77°C), then it’s done.
P.S. I just went on an Alaskan cruise, and mistakenly ordered crème brûlée. BIG MISTAKE. Absolutely nothing compares to how unbelievably creamy and blissful this crème brûlée is!
Blackberry Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 3 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6-7 teaspoons granulated sugar, for caramelizing
Instructions
- Place blackberries in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a potato masher or a fork, crush the berries. Bring the berries to a simmer, then lower temperature to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and pour berries into a fine-mesh strainer set over a glass measuring cup. Using the back of a ladle or spoon, press on the berries to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Discard seeds and solids.* Allow to cool completely.
- 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 1/2 cup of sugar, cooled blackberry juice, vanilla, and salt 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 six 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 in 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 the entire surface of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the tops. Enjoy!