Lemon Creme Brulee

This Lemon Creme Brulee is tested to give you a silky, never-curdled custard and that signature crackly sugar top every time. Learn exactly when it’s done, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to make it ahead for stress-free entertaining.

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Lemon Brulee Ingredients And Equipment

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post. This section includes affiliate links.

• heavy cream – this forms the rich, silky base of the custard. We use heavy whipping cream for this recipe, and that’s it. Some people use a combination of cream and milk, but after testing a lot of different dairy combinations, we decided we liked the extra rich texture of heavy cream only.
• granulated sugar – sweetens the custard and forms the crackly topping.
• egg yolks – thicken the custard and give it that classic silky texture.
• lemon zest and juice – zest adds aroma, juice adds brightness without overpowering.
• vanilla extract – just a touch for warmth and depth. Vanilla bean paste is overpowering here, so we recommend just extract.
• kosher salt – just a pinch. The finished dessert won’t taste salty, but it will taste balanced.
• blowtorch – you can use a specially made kitchen blowtorch, or just one from the hardware store. We use the full size hardware store kind.
• ramekins or creme brulee dishes – you’ll need six 5 to 6 ounce oven-safe ramekins. We used a porcelain set like the one in these photos that comes with a rack and lids, which makes it easy to transfer all the custards in and out of the water bath at once. That said, any ramekins you have on hand will work just fine with a standard roasting pan.

How To Make Creme Brulee Lemon

1. PREP + HEAT THE CREAM. Preheat your oven and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place ramekins in a roasting pan. In a small saucepan, heat the cream and some of the sugar over medium heat. Warm until steaming, not boiling. Boiling can cause grainy texture later.

2. WHISK THE YOLKS. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and the remaining sugar until smooth.

3. TEMPER. Slowly whisk a few ladlefuls of the hot cream into the egg mixture. Then gradually whisk in the rest to prevent scrambling.

4. STRAIN + ADD ZEST. Strain the lemon custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, then stir in the lemon zest.

5. DIVIDE. Divide the mixture among your ramekins. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This water bath keeps the heat gentle and even so the custard sets smoothly.

6. BAKE. Bake until the custards are just set – the center should wobble slightly when shaken.
7. CHILL. Use tongs to move the ramekins to a wire rack. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.

8. BRULEE. Right before serving, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the tops until golden and bubbly (or pop them under a broiler if you don’t have a torch). Garnish with berries and strips of lemon peel if you’d like to make it extra special.

How to Tell When Lemon Crème Brûlée Is Done

The edges should be set, but the center should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the ramekin.

• If it moves like liquid, it needs more time.
• If it doesn’t move at all, it’s overbaked.

Make Ahead And Storage

• Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate the baked custards (before torching) for up to 2 days.
• Freeze: Freeze baked custards (before torching) for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add sugar and brûlée just before serving.