Chocolate Creme Brulee

5 from 9 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Creme Brulee is extremely easy to make, rich in texture and full of flavor, this is such an amazingly delicious dessert. It is a classic recipe with four simple ingredients. I have experimented with adding cinnamon or other flavorings in lieu of the vanilla to the liquid mixture prior to baking, but the vanilla is still the classic king. For this version I am digging into the cocoa for these Chocolate Creme Brulee.

Chocolate Creme Brulee


What’s Creme Brulee?

It’s not a flan or a pudding, but a rich vanilla flavored custard topped with a hard caramel.

What is in Chocolate Creme Brulee?

It’s pretty simple and the ingredients are heavy cream, eggs, cocoa, vanilla and sugar. That’s it and there is no tempering of the cream and eggs with this recipe!

Some people would think this to be a difficult dessert to make, but it is seriously easy with minimal ingredients and hands down is one of my top 5 desserts. Thick, creamy, and if done right, NOT like a loose, giggly flan. I dislike that texture. This has a rich, custard like feel to it and the addition of chocolate has taken this to an entirely new level.

The best part of this dessert is taking your spoon and cracking the hard, melted and caramelized sugar topping the rich indulgent chocolate creme. The contrast in textures on the tongue, the rich delicious flavors and satisfaction knowing you made this is fantastic. This is a dessert to really treat your guests to at that next dinner party.

Chocolate Crème Brûlée in water bath pre bake

Start by preheating your oven 300°F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is a pale yellow. Add the cocoa powder and beat into egg yolk and sugar mixture. Next add the whipping cream and vanilla, and beat on low until well blended.

prep shots of caramelizing sugar

Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove air bubbles into 8 ramekins or custard cups. Place filled ramekins in a water bath using a large pan filled with hot water that will almost reach top of ramekins) and bake until set, about 50 minutes. See the below photo? The water is about three quarters of the way up the sides of the ramekins to slowly simmer and cook the creme to perfection.

overhead photo of sugar on chocolate dessert in ramikins

Carefully remove the pan from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove ramekins from water bath and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

Prior to serving, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. I use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar until a lightly burnt syrup is made. If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Optionally, re-chill the ramekins to harden the sugar for 15 minutes before serving.

Let me walk you through how to make the Classic Creme Brulee here with my How to Make Creme Brulee. Enjoy!

spoonful of Creme Brulee

This recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking August 2015 and has been updated with new copy, photos and video.

Still Hungry?

Subscribe to my Newsletter, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube for all my latest recipes and videos.

closeup: spoon full of french chocolate dessert

Chocolate Creme Brulee

5 from 9 votes
Chocolate Creme Brulee – This classic French dessert gets a kiss from cocoa powder for a rich, indulgent chocolate version. Impress those dinner guests! 
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven 300°F. Separate egg yolks from whites and save egg whites for another use.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is a pale yellow. Add the whipping cream, vanilla, cocoa powder and beat on low until well blended.
  • I pour the mixture through a strainer into your 8 ramekins (See Note 1) or custard cups to get rid of any foam or bubbles. (See Note 2)
  • Place the filled ramekins into a large roasting pan with sides (13×9″) and carefully pour hot water around ramekins so that the water almost reaches the top of ramekins. Bake until set, about 50 minutes.
  • Carefully remove pan from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled.
  • Remove ramekins from water bath, wipe water off and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
  • Prior to serving, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard top. Using a small, hand-held torch melt the sugar until a burnt caramel is made. If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. *Optionally – Re-chill the ramekins to harden the sugar for 15 minutes then serve. (See Note 3)

Video

Notes

  1. The size I use here are 3 1/4″ in diameter, 1 1/4″ deep and hold roughly a 1/2 cup.
  2. I find pouring through a strainer eliminates any foam and leaves a smooth surface. This is purely optional.
  3. If not serving right away, do not do the sugar topping part. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Top with sugar and torch/broil before serving. It will not stay completely hard if done more than 3 hours prior.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 346mg | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 90mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1420IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 0.7mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
titled: chocolate creme brulee

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

Free Bonus
5 Secrets to True Tex Mex
Essential recipes & tips for delicious Tex Mex cooking!

email image

Explore More

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

53 Comments

  1. Kevin, I need to prepare this dish for 10 people. How would I change the amounts of the ingredients needed? I just want to be sure. Thanks so much.

    1. It would be a little tight making it for 10 and my suggestions would simply be to double the recipe and have some leftover for yourself again another evening.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this yesterday. I’ve only ever made vanilla flavored and all my recipes have called for heating the milk and tempering the eggs so I was unsure how this would turn out. Absolutely the BEST consistency crème brûlée I’ve ever made! It was perfectly creamy! I live at 6800 feet and moved my oven to 315 instead of 300 but 50 minutes was perfect!

  3. 5 stars
    BEST creme brûlée I ever made! My aunt called it “a little piece of heaven.” I used to think that maybe I just didn’t have “the gift” to make any type of custard, but I found your recipe easy and delicious. Thanks, Kevin!

  4. Compared to other recipes that does not seem like very much chocolate. Is it enough to give it a pronounced chocolate flavor?

  5. Your chocolate version of creme brûlée looks terrific. I don’t have a torch so will finish it under the broiler.

    1. In all honesty I would not know. I’ve not used steamers before. If you do give it a go, please come back to let me know! Sorry I couldn’t have been more help Rose. I just don’t know how long it would take in a steamer.

  6. 5 stars
    A restaurant here does a chocolate mint Creme Brulee and it’s so good. You might want to try adding mint extract, too. Can’t wait to try your recipes!

    1. I love the versatility of this dessert to do different flavors. Sound good and thanks for the tip Terri. 🙂