Valentine’s day is right around the corner and this Red Velvet Creme Brulee is one of the simplest Valentine’s Day desserts you can make! This recipe makes four desserts, but you can easily reduce the recipe in half for a romantic dessert for two.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Creme Brulee
Creme Brulees are way easier to make than people expect. All you need are a few pantry staples such as eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. For this red velvet version, you just need two more pantry staples: unsweetened cocoa powder and red food coloring.
How to make a lighter creme brulee
Creme brulee is a decadent dessert, but you can lighten it up. If you are looking to cut calories and fat, you should use half and half instead of heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
How to make red velvet flavoring
Although red velvet is one of the most popular dessert flavors, people are always surprised to learn that it is just a mild chocolate flavoring. To achieve the red velvet taste here, I used one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and a few drops of red food coloring. The cocoa powder combined with the cream and sugar gives a tasty a subtle red velvet flavor.
Yes! Creme Brulee can be made up to 4 days in advance. Leave the custard uncovered in the fridge then add the sugar topping just before you are ready to serve.
Yes, you can freeze for up to one month. Prepare the custard inside the ramekins then transfer the whole ramekin to a freezer bag. Seal and store in the freezer for one month.
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Red Velvet Creme Brulee
Equipment
- 4 6 Oz Ramekins
- 1 Blow Torch Optional – you may broil in oven instead
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Half and Half substitute Heavy Cream
- 5 Egg Yolks
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- ⅛ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Red Food Coloring
- Sugar For the topping
- Fresh Berries and Mint to Garnish
Instructions
Red Velvet Creme Brulee Custard
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a sauce pan, warm the milk over low heat to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir in salt and vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, cream the egg yolks and sugar until the well combined and the color is a pale yellow. Stir in the cocoa powder.
- Temper the eggs by pouring ¼ of the warmed milk into the egg and sugar mixture. Whisk together so help cool the milk. Slowly add the rest of the milk to the egg and sugar mixture ¼ at a time. Add as much red food coloring as you like to get the desired red velvet coloring.
- Pour the custard mixture into the ramekins. Transfer the ramekins to a baking dish with high sides. make a water bath by pouring boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Transfer to oven and bake for 40 minutes until the middle is slightly jiggly.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Then transfer to refrigerator to let the custard set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Sugar Topping
- if using an oven, Set to 500 degrees Fahrenheit under the broiler option
- Sprinkle Sugar on top of the custard. Transfer to oven and broil for 5-10 minutes until sugar has melted and cartelized
- If using a torch, light your torch about 5 inches away from the dessert. Move the flame over the sugar until it melts.
- Let the creme brulee set at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.
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