This Raspberry Crème Brûlée is a silky, creamy twist on a classic — fresh raspberries are folded into the custard for a bright, flavorful dessert.
If you love raspberries, try other desserts that pair well with them for a similar bright, fruity finish.
If you’ve been on a cruise, you know desserts are plentiful — and irresistible. I recently sailed with Princess Cruises and found an exceptional crème brûlée on a special 50th-anniversary menu. It was one of those moments when a classic dessert simply called my name.
Almost every evening our group dined together, which was a highlight of the trip. One night my husband wanted room service, but I insisted we return to the dining room so I could order the crème brûlée. He swore he didn’t care for it, but after one reluctant bite he ended up finishing half of my dessert. We both laughed — he realized he liked crème brûlée more than he’d thought.
Back home I couldn’t stop craving that rich custard, so I recreated it and added fresh raspberries — a lovely contrast to the sweet, caramelized top. The raspberries make the custard a touch softer than a traditional recipe, but they add a fresh, tart note that balances the richness perfectly.
One of the best parts is torching the sugar to form that signature crisp caramel top. I upgraded from a small kitchen torch to a heavier-duty model and it transformed the experience — the sugar melts and browns evenly in seconds. If you’re planning to make crème brûlée frequently, a good torch is a worthwhile investment.
My husband, the former non-believer, became a fan — he ate three of these in a single day. Clearly, this raspberry version is a hit.
More Special Occasion Desserts
Butterscotch Budino
Chocolate Mousse
Coconut Lemon Pudding Parfaits
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Raspberry Crème Brûlée Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean*
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 6 oz fresh raspberries plus more for serving
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar**
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
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Place the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds; add both seeds and pod to the cream. Heat until small bubbles form at the edge of the pan.
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In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture lightens in color.
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Arrange individual ramekins in a baking dish and divide the raspberries among them.
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Remove the vanilla pod once the cream is steaming. Slowly whisk a few tablespoons of the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper them, then continue adding the cream in a steady stream while whisking. Pour the combined custard into the ramekins over the raspberries.
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Fill a large measuring cup with very hot water. Place the baking dish with ramekins in the oven and carefully pour the hot water into the dish until it reaches about halfway up the ramekin sides, taking care not to splash water into the custards.
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Bake until set but still slightly jiggly in the center, about 50–60 minutes. Remove the baking dish and lift the ramekins out of the water. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
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Before serving, sprinkle 3–4 tablespoons sugar evenly over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp. Let the caramel cool for a few minutes, top with extra raspberries if desired, and serve.
Recipe Notes:
**Superfine (caster) sugar melts more evenly for the caramel top, but regular granulated sugar works fine.