Crème Brûlée Cookies

Crème Brûlée Cookies offer the indulgence of classic crème brûlée in a bite-sized cookie form. These cookies are chewy and buttery, topped with silky vanilla pastry cream and a crispy, caramelized sugar topping, making them a delightful treat for any occasion. The rich pastry cream and the crackly brûlée sugar create a contrast in textures that will leave you wanting more. Perfect for dessert lovers, these cookies are easy to make but impressive to serve.

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:

• Whole milk: 2 1/4 cups (540 ml)
• Egg yolks: 6
• Granulated sugar: 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225 g)
• Salt: 1/8 tsp
• Vanilla bean paste: 1 1/2 tbsp
• Cornstarch: 3 1/2 tbsp (28 g)
• Unsalted butter: 3 tbsp (42 g, cut in cubes)

For the Sugar Cookies:

• All-purpose flour: 2 1/2 cups (313 g, spooned and leveled)
• Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Granulated sugar: 1 1/4 cup (250 g)
• Unsalted butter: 1 cup (224 g, softened)
• Egg: 1
• Vanilla bean paste: 1 tbsp
• Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g, for rolling the dough)
• Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g, for brûlée topping)

Step 1:

Make Pastry Cream: Heat milk over medium-low heat until steaming. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch until pale. Gradually whisk in the heated milk. Pour back into the saucepan and cook for 8-12 minutes until thick. Remove from heat, add butter, mix, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.

Step 2:

Prepare Sugar Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3:

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until pale and fluffy.

Step 4:

Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until dough forms. Scoop into balls, roll in sugar, and flatten slightly on the baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 5:

Assemble Cookies: Pipe chilled pastry cream on top of each cookie. Sprinkle with sugar, then brûlée with a kitchen torch until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.

• These cookies are best served fresh, right after the brûlée sugar topping has been caramelized.
• If you need to store them, keep the cookies in an airtight container, but the brûlée topping may lose its crunch over time.

• For an extra indulgent twist, try adding a small amount of cinnamon or citrus zest to the pastry cream for a new flavor profile.
• If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can broil the sugar-topped cookies in the oven for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

• Chef Thomas Keller suggests using high-quality vanilla bean paste for a richer, more aromatic flavor.
• Chef Julia Child recommends ensuring your pastry cream is thick enough by testing it on the back of a spoon – it should coat the spoon evenly.

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