Rescue Roast® Signature Blend Coffee Crème Brûlée

Silky coffee custard with a crisp caramelised sugar top.

Crème brûlée is one of those desserts that looks impressive, feels luxurious and is surprisingly straightforward to make.

Adding freshly brewed Rescue Roast® Signature Blend gives the classic custard a warm, roasted coffee flavour that works beautifully with the rich cream and brittle caramel topping.

Crack through that crisp sugar shell with a spoon and underneath you will find a smooth, creamy coffee custard.

Simple ingredients. Big reward.

Ingredients

• 500 ml whipping cream
• 80 ml strong freshly brewed Rescue Roast® Signature Blend coffee
• 5 large egg yolks
• 80 g castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Approximately 4 tablespoons castor or white sugar for caramelising

Method

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 150°C.

Place 4 to 6 small ramekins into a deep roasting dish or baking tray.

2. Brew the Coffee

Prepare 80 ml of strong Rescue Roast® Signature Blend coffee.

For this recipe, slightly stronger coffee works best because it needs to hold its own against the richness of the cream.

Set the coffee aside.

3. Heat the Cream

Pour the whipping cream into a saucepan and add the brewed coffee.

Heat gently over medium-low heat until the mixture is hot and steaming, but do not allow it to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Prepare the Egg Mixture

Place the egg yolks, castor sugar and pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.

Whisk gently until the mixture becomes slightly lighter and the sugar is well incorporated.

Avoid whisking too vigorously, as you do not want to create too much foam.

5. Combine the Custard

Slowly pour a small amount of the warm cream and coffee mixture into the egg yolks while whisking continuously.

Continue adding the cream gradually until everything has been combined.

This slow process helps prevent the eggs from scrambling.

For an especially smooth crème brûlée, pour the custard through a fine sieve into a jug.

6. Fill the Ramekins

Divide the custard evenly between the ramekins.

Carefully pour hot water into the roasting dish around the ramekins until the water reaches approximately halfway up their sides.

This water bath helps the custard cook gently and evenly.

7. Bake

Carefully transfer the roasting dish to the oven.

Bake for approximately 35–45 minutes.

The edges should be set while the centre still has a slight wobble when gently moved.

Do not bake until completely firm, as the custards will continue to set while cooling.

8. Cool and Chill

Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

For the best results, chill them overnight.

9. Create the Caramelised Top

Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over the surface of each chilled custard.

Use a kitchen blowtorch to heat the sugar until it melts, bubbles and develops a deep golden caramel colour.

Allow the caramel topping to stand for a minute or two until hard.

Then comes the best part:

Crack it with a spoon.

No Blowtorch?

You can still make crème brûlée without a kitchen torch.

Place the chilled ramekins under a very hot oven grill for a short period until the sugar melts and caramelises.

Watch them constantly, as the sugar can go from golden to burnt very quickly.

Place the ramekins back into the refrigerator briefly if the custard becomes too warm.

Rescue Roast® Tip

The key to a silky crème brûlée is gentle heat.

Do not boil the cream, do not rush when combining it with the egg yolks and do not overbake the custard.

You are looking for a smooth, creamy texture rather than something firm like baked cheesecake.

Make It Ahead

The custards can be prepared and refrigerated up to a day before serving.

Simply keep them covered in the refrigerator and add the sugar topping immediately before serving.

This makes coffee crème brûlée a fantastic dessert when entertaining because almost all of the work can be completed beforehand.

Why Signature Blend Works So Well

Crème brûlée is rich, creamy and naturally sweet, which makes coffee an excellent counterbalance.

Rescue Roast® Signature Blend brings a smooth, rounded coffee flavour that cuts through the richness without making the custard bitter.

The caramelised sugar topping also works beautifully with the naturally roasted and caramel-like characteristics associated with a great cup of coffee.

The result is a dessert where coffee isn't simply added for novelty.

It genuinely makes the crème brûlée better.

Serves

Approximately 4–6 people, depending on the size of your ramekins.

Preparation Time

Approximately 25 minutes preparation, 35–45 minutes baking and at least 4 hours chilling time.