Perfect Creme Brulée is NOT About Caramel Top (recipe incl.)

[@Reijack]

I am SO GLAD that he's satisfied with it, I kept expecting we were going to get another 10-part deep dive series lol

[@chadley088]

Fully expecting him to not be happy with the pod and then be on a flight to Madagascar

[@DarkCovertAlien]

Lol same

[@R4wF4ce]

I was soo ready for that though. That would be an epic trip.

[@nottsoserious]

Laurent was right. With the right knowledge, skills, and a bit of creativity (vodka vanilla extract), this is a simple dessert. Alex nailed it, and I hope I can achieve it some day. But I'm still learning how to bake so maybe it'll take a 10-part series for me

[@jimurrata6785]

@@chadley088 Came to the comments to say this. Glad I found you first! 😄

[@The-NSA]

Warning to people living in the US: In the video, he says he used powered sugar. While that sugar _is_ technically a powder, in the US it is referred to as “granulated sugar,” while “powdered sugar” is a fine powder consisting of sugar and a bit of cornstarch. If you want a granulated sugar with a fine consistency, look for “caster sugar” or “superfine sugar.”

[@mcsimeonthefin]

do people in the US not have eyes?

[@ImDaRealBoi]

@@mcsimeonthefin no need to be insulting. They're clarifying a difference in terminology between nations, sugar comes in opaque paper bag oftentimes so we can't see a difference until said bag is opened

[@Goblinoid-o]

@@mcsimeonthefinwhat we do have is the freedom to have a tv and butter knife without a license

[@Evan490BC]

@@Goblinoid-o Another ignorant Yank... There is indeed a TV licence in the UK and it is for a good reason! It funds the BBC, one of the few broadcasters in the world required by law to cover news impartially!

[@Max-dg5gj]

@@ImDaRealBoi Their terminology is product of stupidity. Him: “Just to let Americans know when he says water he means molecule of 2 hydrogen and oxygen between 0 and 100 degrees, not the musk of an aroused goat” “Do Americans have no brains to think that water is goat musk?” “He’s just trying to explain the difference in terminology, don’t be cruel to the poor oppressed Americans they need water it’s very tiring being a malignant force in global affairs having less manners than a tree”

[@d1663m]

My wife makes vanilla extracts. In one she uses spiced rum and the flavor is out of this world. It goes very well in anything that uses "normal" vanilla. She lets it soak in the alcohol for at least 6 months in a dark closet before it's ready to decant into smaller gift bottles for people's Christmas gifts.

[@mxspokes]

This is a job for sous vide, 135-140 degrees for about an hour will do the trick

[@lemonadeslices]

@@mxspokes genuine question: won't the heat, however low, affect/dull the taste of the vanilla?

[@bryanhumphreys940]

@@lemonadeslices Probably, vanillin will be stable enough but the other compounds might oxidize, etc.

[@JumboBrotato]

What spiced rum do you recommend?

[@azblurbit]

@@JumboBrotato personally I would recommend not using a spiced rum. Most spiced rums are low quality and have a lot of artificial flavors, including artificial vanilla. Using a high quality light rum or maybe even a 3 year rum would be good. But honestly just use Everclear or vodka to get the most pure vanilla flavor

[@rem9882]

Please do a series on fried chicken. You’ve got your American, Korean and Japanese as well as others. I’d love to see you look into the different cooking methods, interview people that are good at making them from each region and then maybe do your Owen version by mixing them all together like you did with the Meatball series. You are a fantastic chef so please consider doing this

[@torstenbeck640]

Indian butter chicken, or italian parmesan chicken, will be on top to understand the rest, downstairs from that !

[@wnose]

Thai please! Pailin of Hot Thai Kitchen does a wonderful fried chicken!

[@Hema115]

@@torstenbeck640 butter chicken has nothing to do with fried chicken

[@simplyfem]

The key to southern fried chicken is brining it first

[@dresdenwinterknight9553]

does Alex look like he eats fried chicken ? lol

[@crazykaspmovies]

You can probably speed up the extraction of the vanilla flavour by not putting the whole concoction in the fridge. The pods are shelf stable and the vodka can't spoil. Cooling it down is only slowing down the extraction process. I'd suggest heating but that'd probably drive off some of the more volatile flavour compounds in the pod.

[@elicook152]

Wonder if warming/heating under sous vide then cooling would keep everything in?

[@saywhaatnow]

I would guess that you want the mixture to be cold when you mix it in with the eggs and cream? But maybe that doesn't matter too much given the small amount.

[@TheOfficialCorisca]

@@saywhaatnow you can add a warm mix to the eggs, you just need to temper them properly. Basically you take your hot vanilla milk and drip it in a little at a time into the eggs while wisking. Evenually the eggs will reach the same temperature as the milk without becoming scrambled and then you can combine the whole mixture together.

[@BigHenFor]

All the vanilla tincture needs is darkness and time. Room temperature in a dark cupboard, and vodka. Or make vanilla sugar. Split vanilla pod and dump it in sugar. Wait a few weeks. Done. More efficient extraction increase the alcohol proof (ABV).

[@nexrole884]

​@@elicook152 Probably not a good idea to cook any alcohol extract. If you alcohol sealed in a bottle it'll explode, and if you cooked it without a cover you'll lose your alcohol and be left with diluted alcohol or just water (which isn't going to extract anything from the vanilla). If you added extracts before cooking your mixture under heat, you lose a lot of the flavor of whatever extract. A properly infused vanilla extract is only ready a month (weak extract) to 6 months (vodka + multiple sliced pods and seeds). Alcoholic extracts are usually added after your heating process is completed. Although Alex might have soaked a whole pod in a small amount of vodka solution, it's a joke to even think he'd be able to get the concentration you'd get over months. Besides, you would usually be fine with just boiling, and then simmering your milk with your split pods & seeds in it. There's more than enough flavor in the milk if done properly. The problem with his first milk was that he tried to infuse the vanilla flavor in the refrigerator after simmering it. The infusion process is only possible (or more prominent) because you are cooking the pod in the milk over heat. Milk isn't vodka, so little of the vanilla would actually infuse into the milk in a refrigerator. Rather, I would think the vanilla flavor is gradually lost after being exposed to the air.

[@watrgrl2]

You should store two sliced vanilla beans in your sugar jar. That’s what I do and they will infuse an amazing amount of vanilla flavor and scent into the sugar for months and months! Even when they are dried out and brittle don’t throw them out because they will continue to infuse vanilla flavor into your granulated cane sugar but at a slightly more subdued rate. And never throw out your vanilla pods that you infuse your milk with, just rinse them in water, pat dry and let dry a few days on the counter and add those to your sugar jar as well. You will be pleased with how much work those beans still do to give you amazing vanilla sugar to use in your coffee and baking.

[@vokun5881]

I tried this a couple months back and it was utterly amazing. Awesome tip🎉

[@trashcatlinol]

I read this in a book about making fancy things like 'vanilla sugar' Rose sugar was another recipe they shared, just add some food safe rose petals to your sugar (not flower shop roses!) And shake daily. Absolutely lovely. I adore rosewater in sweets, and rose sugar is just as nice! Also had a 'recipe' for rose beads that I use flower shop roses for. I believe the book was ''Cheaper and Better'' though I don't remember the author.

[@gordontubbs]

Me last week: oh sweet, another epic series that will span weeks and feature an incredible culinary journey with Alex. Alex this week: *nails it on first try* Me now: Ohh.... okay.... monsieur.

[@LordButtersI]

After the dried pasta fiasco he deserves an easy win.

[@ColAlbSmi]

It still really annoys me how the meatball series went, where his conclusion was the best meatball is the friends you make along the way.

[@SolWake]

@@ColAlbSmi he meant that in order to have the best meatballs, you have to build meaningful friendships so that when you finally grind them up and mix them together, your meatballs will that delicate and effervescent, yet utterly delicious taste of friendships in one mouthful.

[@HenryMcManus]

Well it’s crème brûlée what do you expect

[@kittenmimi5326]

@@SolWake grind them up lolll

[@spenserholen419]

After such a dramatic cinematic display, running the spoon across that gorgeous caramel surface sent shivers down my spine and prickled the hairs on my neck. Thank you.

[@tr-ht1we]

Tips a farmer gave us while visiting a vanilla processing farm in Reunion (birth place of Bourbon Vanilla) the fact that the vanilla pod is thick does not necessarly means it's better. It more than often means the opposit. This is a sign that the drying process of the vanilla pod has been rushed which is also often the case with Madagascar Vanilla (reference to previous video) due to a lot of small farmers prefering to sell quantity quickly ( not all vanilla from Madagascar is like that fortunatly). Also other tip he gave, when enfusing vanilla in a liquid better doing it after heating it, or make sure that the liquid does not go above 80°C. It helps avoiding the essential oils going off with the vapor giving a better flavoring at the end.

[@aboz8649]

Cool

[@Sodabowski]

And add sugar, because sugars are alcoohols and capture vanillin very easily.

[@Delalcon]

@@Sodabowski Sugar is not an alcohol.

[@Mm10122]

And what if you mix the whole thing and strain it after the heating process?

[@dlewtweentorla1210]

So true, most recipes do much better the later the Vanilla is added. Those recipes where added at the start then heated in a mixture and brought to a boil. Forget it all the flavor is lost. Cheers!

[@jatspter9141]

I remember when my dad made this for me some years ago. It was so delicious, creamy, such a perfect crisp caramel layer on the top, and such a beautiful silky texture. I haven’t seen him in a few years, so this dish holds a very special place in my heart.

[@ZonardCity]

Alex : "I'm not gonna use vanilla extract" Also Alex : basically makes his own vanilla extract

[@mytech6779]

There was a time when some producers would adulterate their extracts and the only way to be sure of quality was to get whole pods. Mexican vanilla extract had this reputation in the past, though the true pods from Mexico were of excellent quality. (Vanilla is native to Mexico and the only place it does not need hand pollination.)

[@oscarmakertv6707]

@@mytech6779 this is still the case in Mexico, even though you can buy excellent natural vanilla extracts you can never be too sure, so I always make my own extract with drinkable alcohol, water (about 25% mix) and high quality vanilla pods. Takes about 3 months to be at full strength but nothing from the store comes close to it.

[@Jumpstylefreak7]

@@oscarmakertv6707 Just to make sure: You use 25% water and 75% of the pure ethanol or other way around?

[@bjarnebreitner8552]

@@Jumpstylefreak7 25% alcohol 75% water is the mix you can buy usually

[@pray4us955]

It's exactly the same. I work professionally and the cost of vanilla bean raw compared to extract is wild. No one can taste the difference, and the fact that he can still taste the ethanol says something. Although vanilla is the strongest proof alcohol by volume. 60 proof

[@petepeterson5337]

So much to write... I am confident Alex's Creme Brulee is magnificent, but significant Creme Brulee research on my part along with another engineer/chef has shown what I believe to be some ideas to consider. I will not question exact ratios. 1. Salt. Gotta have some salt in the custard. I am pretty sure it was a French person who enlightened me about the use of a small amount of salt in so many French and French inspired desserts. 2. Cooking - I cook in a water-bath with the oven at a somewhat higher temperature; This provides a lot of protection from a slight temperature error in the oven. More about the cooking time below. 3. I have experimented with both Vanilla Beans and high quality extracts. In my opinion, vanilla beans are difficult to buy with good quality and consistency (Bravo to Alex for showing he had this problem for this very video). If you want those black specs in your dessert, vanilla beans are the honest way. Otherwise, I have had much more consistent results with high quality vanilla extract. Here in the US, McCormick brand is quite good. Amazingly when I tried Costco Kirkland vanilla extract in a comparative test, it wasn't as good and somewhat more was needed to fix it. I will never buy another vanilla bean for flavor, but possibly for appearance. 4. 1.5 hours seems way long. The custard in Alex's demo was clearly correctly cooked. Possibly my water-bath method cooks much faster with the cooking time being 35 minutes to 45 minutes. Everyone must experiment with their own ovens and ramekins before having guests. When I train people to make Creme Brulee, I tell them that "It take courage to pull it out of the oven, but not stupidity". 5. The sugar on top shown in the video appears to be what we here in the US refer to as "Raw Sugar" or "Turbinado Sugar", and is the exact correct sugar. The recipe lists "Brown Sugar" which here in the US is a much different product with a molasses component; US brown sugar should not be used, but Raw or Turbinado sugar is widely available and as shown by Alex is perfect. Don't go to Williams Sonoma or any other fancy cooking store for the torch, but go to Home Depot and get a Bernzomatic type used for plumbing and make CERTAIN it has an adjustment valve. The Home Depot torch will have a bigger gentler flame. Use propane, not MAPP Gas since we are cooking, not fixing pipes. 6. I never serve it with berries, sauce, chocolate etc; it stands on its own. Here in the US, many restaurants serve Creme Brulee that needs some berry/sauce cover. Don't be like them. 7. Here in America (pronounced "Merica") I have found the 10 ounce ramekins to be a very popular serving size. You will be surprised which normally dainty eaters will happily share any extra servings once theirs is gone. Creme Brulee is one of the great gifts to the world and anyone can do at least as well as most restaurants in their area.

[@tina8796]

I cook mine in a water bath, too @ 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes.

[@csy4271]

How high do you cook it for?

[@petepeterson5337]

@@csy4271 325F for about 35 minutes. The waterbath regulates the temperature for a much more gentle and precise cook, but it is easy to over cook it; hence my remark about courage to pull it out. It may take a couple of practice runs to learn how to judge the exact appearance to pull them out of the oven. The water his hot, so it may be worth investing in a decent ramikin grabbers; I bought mine from Sur La Table, but today Amazon is probably better.

[@csy4271]

@@petepeterson5337 Thank you so much for that. One more question, is your ramekin the same in the video or the generic tubs?

[@petepeterson5337]

@@csy4271 Good Morning CSY - I use 10 ounce ramikins. They are much larger and less elegant than what is preferred by accomplished great chefs, but I have found that guests universally prefer my size and formfactor of serving. Also, you may be surprised which normally dainty well mannered eaters are negotiating to share the one leftover serving. I will try to identify a similar commercially available ramikin this weekend. Cheers! PP

[@Mc_muffintop]

Kudos for somehow making creme brulee not only a culinary masterpiece, but also a cinematic one.

[@meteorcat0730]

That slow-motion and close-ups while he was making the caramel crust, just perfection. The tension it created along with the anticipation was really nice~

[@mcgrowlerproductions3838]

some of the best editing I've ever seen as good as anything that's ever been on television! You can tell he spent so much time doing that and good on him. I have some of that vanilla pod seed mix in a bit of rum right now trying this recipe for the first time. cant wait

[@ry7hym]

I was watching the video on the tv in the living room and that was the part where my dad joined in watching. that part gave us both a good chuckle. very masterpiece-y

[@roandcheetoh]

I honestly thought we were going to pack our bags and head to Madagascar to source our own pods after the reaction to that first vanilla milk trial.

[@johncarter1223]

He's an artist...and sometimes art is a 10 part series, and others it's just right after the second episode. I'm thankful for all his content. It's inspired me to try new things in the kitchen, and ignited a passion for the food I make. So, thank you Alex. You are awesome!

[@keshavrungta4914]

I think there is a video where someone compares vanilla extract to pods in different recipes. Highly recommend it. Some results are pretty surprising. Just like dried vs fresh pasta it's not always guaranteed that pods taste better in every recipe. My mind was blown.

[@iulioh]

I really want to see it now, do you remember the name of the video or channel?

[@apeanders]

I would LOVE to see you try this, Alex. Look into the darker side of the vanilla pod industry, and you'll find plenty of reasons to take a scientific approach to checking whether vanillin might be a viable alternative for taste. It certainly seems to be when you look at practical reasons...

[@nottsoserious]

Even in this video, directly infusing milk with pods yielded less deep flavor than extracting in vodka first. He essentially made his own high quality vanilla extract. It is possible to buy extract that was made from fresh madagascar pods soon after harvest.

[@__-im2se]

Kenji Lopez Alt tried this when he was with Serious Eats. He didn't find a big difference between using imitation vanilla extract, vanilla extract or vanilla pods, especially in cooked products.

[@c0mpu73rguy]

I do know that in (industrial) yoghurts, fresh vanilla isn’t needed since the taste would be pretty much the same. My chemistry teacher in high school even told me that in that case, artificial vanilla is better since there is less waste and it’s less polluting to produce.

[@BroccoliDwarf]

Tip for using vanilla pods (especially store bought, where they can be quite old/hard): Once you have scraped out the pod, use a little bit of sugar and the tip of your knife, to work the scrapings, just like you would do with garlic and salt when making a garlic paste. It activates the oils and separates the seeds, so you get more vanilla flavour out of it, and it incorporates more evenly into the dish. Also hammer the scraped out pods with the back of your knife, before putting them into the liquid, to release flavour... much like you would do when using lemon grass, but more gently (you don't want bits coming off the pod into your liquid). - Remember to use a cutting board that does not absorb the oils. 🙂

[@JoeG71299]

Great tips, thanks

[@Wakeupnothingisreal]

Took the words out of my mouth

[@lauriedepaurie]

In my house a vanilla pod has 3 lives. 1st. I scrape the contents, use it in a recipe. 2nd. Vanilla sugar. The pods go into a container with sugar, let sit for 1month+ (easiest to just keep adding pods and sugar as you have used them). 3rd. When completely and dried and used up, I put them in a small container with overproof rum (any alcohol works, I like the rum-vanilla kick for baking). About a week is plenty to result in a lovely extract. Very good pods do this better than cheap ones. But being able to reuse it really brings the effective proce down.

[@Bumsnuggy]

I left this channel for a while now, but I come back to see he consistently makes such amazing dishes and his effort into the production value with the lights, angles, and music is transcendent. Beautiful work Alex!

[@sarahrza8415]

The golden spoon with creme and caramel top looks like a masterpiece. Wonderful shot as the flavour. Caramel top looks like a golden leaf. I really enjoyed this video.

[@aevitasunum9088]

It genuinely makes me so happy and excited to see someone so passionate about getting cooking right. Love what he's doing with these videos!

[@GavinSeim]

I liked instantly when you used ratios. I don't know why more chefs don't understand this. PS. Vanilla extract is really just a tincture. It's not something that happens overnight ideally. Leave it for 4 weeks when possible.

[@tompoynton]

I have a two-year old jar in my cupboard, it’s fantastic

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

In alcohol?

[@tompoynton]

@@Der_Kleine_Mann yes

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

@@tompoynton thank you, I'll try that.

[@Esoterrible]

This is the most French thing I've ever seen and its wonderful

[@PhantomProMalta]

Actually, this is not a French dish, It's a British invention called Cambridge Burnt Cream which was invented circa 1630, around 60 years before the first printed french recipe in 1691 in the French cookbook Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot.

[@indostan38]

@@PhantomProMalta The story that crème brûlée was invented at the College almost certainly has no basis in fact. The dessert was introduced at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1879 as "Trinity Cream" or "Cambridge burnt cream".

[@snowdjagha]

Ok I'm gonna be honest: I havent watched your videos in a while (maybe years), so I was completely blown away with the production quality with this one. I guess it's time to come back.

[@jekku4688]

I have NEVER seen so much drama in a cooking video! (the music helped) I love that you love this stuff so much you're just going to sit in the dark and just BE ONE with your creme brulee. That must be some amazing brulee! 🙂

[@TheCatWitch63]

I’m enthralled by the excellent cinematic quality of your videos. The light, editing, score, everything is just perfect. Thank you!! PS: Do you realize that you ended using vanilla extract, albeit homemade and as strong as you wanted it?

[@metropolitanpolice7334]

1) white rum works better for vanilla extract infused custard 2) oven should be 150C ish. you want that water to properly steam the top of that custard and bake the bottom. 3) when burning, liquidise all the sugar on a low flame, then burn it all so you don't get blotchiness like that; also don't be scared to aim past the edge a little, get that caramel right up to the edge (it looks like you done that under a grill which is valid, but if you have a torch you have more control) but for a home cook that's a very good job. as a first attempt you should be proud

[@weouthere6902]

why is the police out here giving culinary advice

[@hugevibez]

The vanilla extract you made would be called a "tincture", you can use all kinds of herbs and make wonderful flavor extracts. Don't have much experience with this myself, but in the world of patisserie it is definitely a useful technique to master. I think the vanilla you bought might have already underwent this process, but usually you have to decarboxylate (that is put in the oven at a very low temperature) the herbs to make sure it's able to dissolve in the ethanol.

[@Beunibster]

I like to smoke "patisserie" too 😎

[@Spudnik15]

its good for brownies to

[@Just_Sara]

I have cinnamon sticks in vodka soaking right now, it is potent stuff!

[@459_nilavratbera4]

Homeo.

[@o0Avalon0o]

I love that you give ratios, it's something that I like researching about it because I want to know why I like some recipes more than others.

[@cheetaking243]

That sugar-torching montage was delicious for my eyes! Amazing directing/editing work!

[@randyhunsinger8879]

You’re cinematography has gotten so good over the years. Keep it up! Love the videos!

[@Marble_Tree]

Nobody makes me feel so many things about each food like alex does, its always a true experience.

[@davidfarmer]

I love the fact that you researched the solubility of the source of the vanilla flavor. A lot of fatty oily flavors dont disolve in water, only in ethanol.

[@GraceSerenityK]

I've always found the key to a good vanilla flavor in creme brulee is a combination of both beans and extract. You get the punch from the extract, and the nuance (and also those pretty seeds) from the bean.

[@RikkeMyE]

OMG this video ❤ I love the framing, the setup, the humour, the accent, the asmr, the foot on the wheel, every detail / and now this 13:40 YOU ARE MY NEW CRUSH 😅❤❤❤

[@docdoc]

So happy for you and us this didn't turn into a 23 part journey! You paid your dues with the pasta, we enjoyed every moment and now the gods are smiling at you. Sallue!

[@redisdead4829]

If you want to extract more vanilla than you’ve got there, leave your vodka at room temperature. The cold slows down the process. Hope that helps for future projects! Love your videos by the way! I love seeing the process and understanding more about food! 🥰🥰

[@schmitty8225]

I have been making my own vanilla extract with pods and vodka for years. It takes a couple months to mature but its worth the wait.

[@infidelviking8805]

The way you cook and when you broke that shell made me feel like I was there eating it in the moment. My mouth is watering and I love your passion bro.

[@Jeremyisthings]

A gorgeous return to form from what was becoming a rather exhausting pasta series. Looking forward to dry pasta series 2, but so nice to see something fresh and concise.

[@Kujeful]

Thanks for this! Made it yesterday for first time. I can will report, that I used a basic irish whiskey for the vanilla extraction, and got very little of whiskey flavor into the final product. I used maybe 4-5 cl of whiskey in the extraction, and while it was very whiskey flavored at that point, the final product only exhibited vanilla flavor dominantly. I suspect the alcohol just evaporated. Lovely recipe really! I followed a similar oven time too with water on a different pan, and kept them in the oven for 1h20m and result was similar. It was very close to similar at 1h already when checking. Thank you!

[@DdW85]

When burning the sugar, start with the edges and finish in the middle. The heat will be dispersed towards the middle. So you can start with a uniform caramel on the edge and finish it in a controlled way in the middle. In the middle the heat is spread more evenly. If you do it the other way round you have the chance that the heat already starts cooking some sugar grains on the edge while some remain as is. Finishing off the edges may result in black burnt spots while if you discontinue you will leave some sugar uncooked.

[@vicpinto1970]

Adding Satie at the end was a nice touch. Well done!

[@sk84lifeMS]

Love that this video felt a bit more relaxed and quiet! The pasta series videos were imo a bit too hectic and over-edited towards the end.

[@bazdotcom157]

I've been a chef for 25 years and I have come across many brûlée recipes and this will be the new one I will use , good job Alax , thank you

[@Grove332]

It's insane how Paris of all cities doesn't have vanilla pods in it's stores, but every large run of the mill baltic grocery store always has them.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

There are some shops that do have them. I have no idea why he didn't go there, perhaps lack of time.

[@marie-suzankalogeropoulos9249]

@@lolilollolilol7773 Or, more likely, he decided Crème brûlée ought to be made possible with the everyday store basics, try to kick a little of the mystique out of the way... And that's what so nice, about this video, too, IMHO! Besides, considering the cost of Madagascar pods advertised in the previous episode, that would mean flying off the budget handle, (and off to sophisticated spice retailers...) just for f**g vanilla... I found him far more creative, taking the chemistry research bend! 👍

[@JobBouwman]

Three things I do different: - I use mascarpone as it has a higher fat content - I add a pinch of salt to the caramel to enhance its flavour. - I use Sous-Vide to warm a bag of cream at 83°C for 30 minutes, then I pour it into smaller bowls before refriderating the individual portions.

[@mststgt]

I buy those Vanilla pods in glass tubes, like small test tubes. A couple of days before I intend to use them, I fill up the whole tube with a good brown full proof Rum and let them soak in whole. It's like rum raisins, but Vanilla 😋 To use, I drain them, cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds like you did. This gives you a huge amount of Vanilla flavour, complemented with only a tiny hint of Rum.

[@derbness]

Hey good tip, im gonna try this

[@drewrathbone7857]

Little tip. The vanillin is in the pod, not the seeds. Adding the seeds to a dish was cheffy way to show you had used real vanilla. This morphed somewhere in time to the myth that the flavour is in the seeds. You can just grind a whole pod with sugar.

[@mststgt]

@@drewrathbone7857 A lot of it is also contained in the oil around the seeds.

[@jumper0122]

It seems like you'd get some use out of a magnetic stirrer like those used in chemistry to keep things like your vanilla extract gently agitated for long stretches of time (hours, days, weeks). A good Corning or IKA stir plate can cost a lot, but I've seen cheap stir plates as low as $30 USD. I feel like I could find lots of ways to use one

[@agentxx3022]

Alex: "I want to make this dish perfectly" Also Alex: "Then in here, two shots of Vodka..."

[@jamescollier3]

then it will take 3 weeks

[@madil2259]

Perfect is relative

[@docdoc]

Vodka makes everything better (;

[@RyanEglitis]

@@jamescollier3 Oh no, more videos about creme brulee! That would be the _worst_ ...

[@RaspK]

Funnily enough, I think using the spirits may have improved the custard's consistency, as ethanol disrupts setting, which could mean it makes the custard silkier/less likely to curdle or overcook.

[@georgecasseus6893]

Shout out to the incredibly artful direction and editing of this video. *chef kiss

[@Evolucion7]

While you were mixing the custard ingredients in the bowl, all I could think is, "It's almost egg nog season!" And that got me thinking, a bit of grated nutmeg might be pretty nice in a creme brulee.

[@moonbeamstry5321]

Genius! 💯 going to try this the next time I make it. And somone else in the comments suggested using spiced rum to make the vanilla extract. I think they'd go beautifully together.

[@Sodabowski]

Tried it years ago, if you love nutmeg then it works, but you reeeally gotta be conservative when adding it, it quickly overpowers vanilla (funnily both molecules are almost identical).

[@peterheinzo515]

i made your recipe today for the family, they absolutely devoured it. probably could have doubled the recipe even though everyone was already full. i used grand manier for the vanilla extract and i think it fit the recipe very well. so well i would actually recommend everyone to go and buy it if you are making the recipe. 4cl is probably enough for 5-6 portions. btw for anyone interested, as a main course i made chris young’s beef wellington. that also came out absolutely perfect (first time i made it) as entrée i made a beetroot carpaccio with goat cheese, lemon vinaigrette, watercress and old balsamic

[@grendurwow1549]

Can i marry into your family?

[@diemervdberg7661]

Alex' videos are like "Chef's Table" but better because he brings you in the process of making the (complicated) dishes and makes it somewhat tangible for the average person. Not some Michelin chef that just makes complicated dishes and telling his story.

[@robmarais]

Alex, I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me 😄 This was an epic ode to creme brûlée! Congrats on getting it just right. My faith in you as one of your Patreon supporters has not been misplaced. Thanks my friend.

[@zhazick]

This video is even above your normally excellent production level

[@vyrnius]

idk what I like about that guy but this is the only food channel I am subscribed too & watching its uploads regularly. keep the fantastic work, alex

[@dr-k1667]

Well done Alex!!! You didn't even need to make any new equipment to get it done. ;)

[@jwas420]

Alex I've been subscribed for many years now and every time, every video, it's art, it's poetry. Thank you for this masterful craft!

[@siryavuzz]

Alex such a nice video again! As a bartender I can guarantee you if you can drop these 3-5 vanilla sticks half cut in a 35-50cl vodka with a airtight lid on top, you will get a very strong vanilla vodka. İf you do it with 8-10 sticks with 35ml vodka and wait like 8-10 weeks i will be like very strong extract.

[@michaela.754]

I learned when making a croatian custard cake that using rum will cut down on the "eggy" flavor a bit. I suggest you extract the vanilla in rum. Or brandy. And that will give it a complex vanilla flavor that will taste amazing

[@lewdramen8661]

So true!!!!!!

[@OyvindBjorgo]

I just realised why I enjoy watching your videos so much. In addition to useful cooking information, you've got pretty strong game within photography, editing and dramatic scenography.

[@craftedbyorre]

When my wife visited Kyrgyzstan, a man said to her “Everything is better with vodka”. I guess that holds true for crème brûlée as well!

[@martindaryl507]

Hey Alex, love your dedication in every vid. I’ve been making my own Ice Cream at home for many years and also been experimenting with vanilla pod extraction. One thing I drew from an old Swiss recipe was that vanilla in milk/ cream extracts best with first, falling heat and then increasing again. So bringing the milk/ cream to a light simmer, turning off the heat and adding the scraped seeds and pod. Leave it covered until room temp and then bring it up to a light simmer again. Have been using this technique and it works best for me, haven’t done the research to back it up though. Cheers

[@barbarar2216]

there are a few diff species of vanilla pods, there is one that is quite plump, the others are thinner , they all have slightly diff flavor profiles

[@alainrabufetti2626]

i just made this today. followed every point. the onky thing i changed was too heat up the vodka for a minuto on the microwave to exgract more dring the 24hr period. it came out delicious. its delicatly decadent. texture is just how he describes supple and slightly firm to the touch and completelly dissolves in the mouth.brown sugar coat was amazing so many toasty burnt woody notes. make sure to cook this at no higher than 210 f minimun for 1.20

[@Naddo23]

Would be amazing to see the chef compare this recipe against his own best creme brulee in Paris!

[@adam5zki]

Or just if Laurent would taste Alexes version and rate it/critique it. Would love to see that.

[@hoyuejing]

be careful what you wish for! he will actually do it! haha!

[@cellowify]

The video was amazing. Your productions have such a clear identity, it's crazy

[@Bellabeebuzz]

Alex is the only person allowed to help James Hoffman with tiramisu

[@nothere3982]

😂😂😂

[@cambam2391]

your sound design, soundtrack, and cinematography is always unmatched

[@אסאעובדיה-ס9ק]

I love your videos so much, you take an interesting aspect about food and turn it into art, you examine it in detail, feel it, and create it

[@T25de]

The passion oozes with no bubbles like the perfect cream brûlée 😅

[@MrDreamRugby]

Hi Alex, just back from French Polynesia and the island of Taha’a famed for having the best vanilla in the world. A small tip I got from visiting the plantations was to cut a small slit in the bottom of the pods and then leaving them to sit in about 2-3 cm of clear rum (industrial not agricultural) like Bacardi. You can keep the pods like this for years at a time. Some families gift years worth of supplies on big occasions!

[@CallieMasters5000]

I thought for sure you'd be on the next flight to Madagascar to get to the source of the vanilla.

[@GROHOGG]

I am the Executive Chef at Tweeds Restaurant and Buffalo Bar in Riverhead, New York and for Valentines Day week my owner tasked me to make crème brûlée for the desert on my specialty menu, and I had never made it before… shaken I did what I always do when i get stuck and I refer to the internet. And with the help of your video and 1 more… I made the best crème brûlée i could have ever hoped for! I had customers, who had traveled the world, telling me it was the BEST CRÈME BRÛLÉE THEY EVER HAD! Yet i think it could have been better since i couldn’t find vanilla pods and had to resort to extract, but the results were definitely not disappointing! The wiggle part you showed in your video helped me decide if the custard was set yet or not, so thank you good sir! You completed my holiday menu ❤ -Chef Justin Grohoski Tweed’s Restaurant & Buffalo Bar

[@Bloop1438]

I always love how high quality the experience of the video is, I always learn something new from your videos 😊💞💞

[@mehdimoussaoui1712]

Man, you're not only a great chef but a super talented video maker. Keep going with this high quality content, it's really refreshing!! Merci!!

[@Zusu90]

Hey Alex. I remember watching a binging with babish video about milkshakes and there putting a little bit of bourbon whiskey or jack daniels into a vanilla milkshake enhanced the milkshakes vanilla flavor. I tried this myself and was amazed how just a littlebit of whiskey could make a simple milkshake so much better. I'm talking 20ml of whiskey in a 1-litre pint of milkshake. I didn't taste the whiskey much at all but the vanilla was enchanced with a hint of caramel probably from the whiskey. I'dd think making the vanilla pod extraction with a bourbon would yield significant results

[@lbazemore585]

I can’t watch you relish this!! Looks so delicious!! The Satie music was the perfect accompaniment!!

[@leapingkitties]

Alex, you should be making your own vanilla anyways. Just let it sit for 3-4 months, the longer it sits the better, but you know that. Love your videos.

[@staceyfink5750]

Wow.....such precision and kitchen is prepared for everything! I'm inspired to expand my kitchen tool set to add the bubble level, clamps, saw, drill, etc.! Never can tell when I might have a recipe that calls for only 1/2 of a 2x4.

[@JohnnyBrook]

Alex the crème probably didn’t set quite as much as you wanted, as it seemed just slightly on the soft side compared to the one at Au Petit Riche. This is likely because of the vodka you added to the mix, which reduces the fat and ability of the creme to bind. If you don’t find suitably good fresh vanilla pods and want to continue extracting vanillin like this, then stick the concoction in a food dehydrator overnight to gently boil off the alcohol content. Your vanilla extract will be even more concentrated and you won’t interfere with the delicate balance of egg, creme, and milk by adding alcohol as well.

[@qj0n]

Won't you boil out more volatile compounds of vanilla flavor?

[@JohnnyBrook]

@@qj0n In a dehydrator the process is as gentle as can be, and while the evaporated alcohol may carry off a small amount of the volatile compounds, you will still be left with a more concentrated vanilla extract with much less of the alcohol which should not be in this recipe. The best solution however is just to do what Au Petit Riche does and source some top quality Madagascan or Peruvian vanilla beans, scrape them, and toss the whole thing including scraped pods into the creme mix and let it sit overnight, then strain the pods out. But if you want that extracted vanillin, which is indeed very strong in flavour, then you need to contend with the alcohol.

[@qj0n]

​@@JohnnyBrook it also surprised me that Alex did at first exactly what Au Petit Riche, but was disapointed. Do I understand correctly that, it comes from the fact, that he used lower grade of vanilla, which gave less vanillin? Alcohol allows here to just extract more of it from those beans... If that's the issue, I could see two other solutions here - either use more beans, or (if the problem is with vanillin itself, not other compounds) add artificial vanillin. From my understandin, the difference between artificial vanillin and real vanilla lays in other, additional compounds, which are responsible for richness, but the vanilla flavor strength lays in vanillin, which could be added on top of the rest...

[@JohnnyBrook]

@@qj0n Vanillin comes in two forms: real and artificial. Artificial vanillin is produced industrially and is relatively cheap. On its own, it tastes awful and should only be used sparingly if at all, when baking. Real vanillin is the main flavour compound in vanilla beans, and it’s the flavour most people associate with “vanilla”. It is most commonly extracted via ethanol and is called ethyl vanillin. There is nothing artificial about it. When Alex makes his extract, however, he is extracting more than just the vanillin from the pods, as vanilla beans do indeed contain many other flavour compounds. Basically, he is making a quick vanilla extract. There is nothing wrong with this, but the alcohol gets in the way of the recipe. Better is to find good beans and use them directly. As for the quality of the beans, the difference in quality is not necessarily connected to vanillin content. Its more like coffee beans. Good vanilla has a complexity of flavour, and each place and producer has a different product. Having more vanillin content in a bean is like a whiskey having more alcohol content. That’s fine, but it’s not an indicator of quality. Quality is judged by integration and complexity of flavour. Coming back to the crème brûlée, there is no right or wrong in terms of how much vanilla you want, but diluting your creme with too much alcohol interferes with the texture. That’s why I prefer using beans or using a more concentrated extract with very little alcohol.

[@miroku1258]

OMG Alex!!! The shots, the music, and the swirl and the end with the rough, glassy-hard sound of the caramel! Spectacular video! ART!!!!!! thank you for the wonderful video Alex :D

[@thethubbedone]

The sound and photography during the caramel phase was incredible. Amazing work

[@StormyWeather21]

any idea what the song was at 13:38, the piano song?

[@JabirAbdulHakeem]

I could just listen to you talk all day. It's Mesmerizing

[@Stefan-fn9io]

For me the best way to prepare the caramel is to caramelize sugar before, let it cool down, blend it up and then torch it on the top of the custard again. You get a thinner layer, you don’t have sugar crystals left and and the sugar needs much less energy to melt again, do the risk of burning it and getting bitter is quite low 👌

[@Currywurst4444]

You can do that easier in the oven. Just turn it to 300°F/150°C and wait a few hours. You get convenient granulated caramel with perfect zero bitterness.

[@blcenglish]

Love the production style & the typically French delight in boundless indulgence ;).

[@KINGKLIP987456123]

Love this video man! Editing on point!

[@crcsheedy]

For a bit of a further vanilla kick, try Galliano Vanilla liqueur. Another great alternative choice would be Cointreau, for an orange note to complement the vanilla.

[@nilsroesel]

Hey Alex, probably you can give my method of extracting vanilla a try. Always worked good for me. I try to blend the pods pretty fine, to give the alcohol more room to extract. I usually do a 2-3 Weeks cold extraction in the freezer with 30% neutral alcohol solution. Then ill put it to heat at 80-85 degrees for quite some time, until there is no steam coming off. With this you remove that sharp alcohol flavor a lot and you remain many of the vanilla flavors (not only vanillin)

[@kelvinpratama3604]

Can i ask what did you blend the pods with? Its the alcohol it self right, but whats the ratio?

[@quixoticcoyoticcannibalystic]

I don't know how I found your channel but God bless the algorithm... I only have really enjoyed Anne reardon when it's come to creators who focus on food... Now I have this channel to ruthlessly binge.

[@Olieman2012]

Making a good crème brulee is a basic skill for every man and I’ve made quite a few. But your vodka extraction process gave it a new twist. Thanks! You and Keith Floyd are the most inspirational cooks for me.

[@BleachWizz]

what did I learned today: pretty easy to make vanilla vodka.

[@vladmircky4361]

Im leaving vanilla beans in vodka for a week, or until creme brulee happens😉

[@Bladedcloud6159]

A DokaRyan fan i see

[@thomasgontard6316]

Tip from a cook at the last Michelin restaurant I worked at (and also the bar, we use this for strong infusions). Seal the vanilla with alcohol in a vacuum bag and sous vide it at minimum temp for 5 hours. Let it cool completely before opening the sous vide bag and voila! hyper strong extraction!

[@sarchlalaith8836]

Vanilla is naturally green when they grow it in Mexico, when we get it it's been fermented and dried no matter what, softer/harder makes little difference.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Apart from the amount of volatile aromatic compounds that have already evaporated away…

[@NIL6300]

I am eating right now what I've done following this recipe. And it tastes HEAVENLY, I am amazed. Thank you so much!

[@andreasweber7828]

Alex, you’re my hero. The most love giving and happy-tears producing dessert that I could imagine but never fully understood to create myself has been decrypted. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@realVertiqo]

Well Done! A friend gave me a Creme Brulee Sous Vide recipe that i tried and ever used since, fool proof perfect outcome every time.

[@markiangooley]

I have made sugar-free versions without the crust. There are sugar substitutes that will brown properly and provide a glassy crust! Now I need to try using one.