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Individual Creme Brulee Trifles: An Elegant, Easy-to-Assemble Dessert

These individual Creme Brulee Trifles offer a delightful paradox: they’re surprisingly easy to prepare yet undeniably sophisticated. Each serving features luscious homemade vanilla bean custard, layered with crisp shortbread cookie crumbs and vibrant raspberry jam. This simple, impressive dessert is perfect for special occasions like the holidays or any time you crave a touch of gourmet elegance without the culinary fuss.

Experience Gourmet Flavor with Minimal Effort

Don’t let the fancy name of “Creme Brulee Trifle” intimidate you! While it sounds like a dessert reserved for fine dining, this recipe is incredibly approachable for home cooks of all skill levels. We’re taking the rich, creamy essence of classic creme brulee and transforming it into a convenient, layered trifle that eliminates much of the traditional stress. Imagine decadent custard, crunchy cookies, and fruity jam all in one spoonful – pure bliss!

Crafting these delectable trifles requires just a handful of simple ingredients, making it a straightforward process. The brilliance of individual servings not only adds an elegant touch to your presentation but also simplifies the serving process, allowing your guests to easily grab their personal dessert. This versatile treat is sophisticated enough to grace your holiday table but also straightforward enough to whip up on a whim any time of year. The best part? They taste absolutely divine, offering a perfectly balanced sweet ending to any meal.

A beautiful glass of creme brulee, raspberry jam and shortbread cookies layered to make a Creme Brulee Trifle. — Indulge in the layers: velvety custard, bright raspberry, and crumbly shortbread.

Frequently Asked Questions About Creme Brulee Trifles

What if I don’t have a kitchen torch?

While a kitchen torch is ideal for achieving that signature crispy, caramelized sugar topping, it’s not strictly necessary. If you don’t own one, a grill lighter with a long neck can be a suitable alternative – just be sure to use it carefully to avoid burning your fingers. Alternatively, if you’re assembling these trifles in oven-safe ramekins rather than glass serving dishes, you *could* briefly place them under a broiler. However, we generally do not recommend using a broiler for glass serving dishes, as they can shatter from the intense, direct heat. The good news is, these trifles are absolutely delicious even without the crunchy sugar crust. You can simply skip the torching step and still enjoy a magnificent, layered individual dessert that everyone will adore!

Do I have to use heavy cream?

Yes, heavy cream is a non-negotiable ingredient for this recipe. It’s crucial for achieving the rich flavor and luxurious, silky texture that defines a classic creme brulee custard. The high fat content in heavy cream is essential for the custard to set properly and deliver that melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Substituting with lighter creams or milk alternatives will significantly alter the final taste and texture, leading to a thinner, less decadent result.

Do I have to use a whole vanilla bean?

Using a whole vanilla bean truly elevates the flavor of this homemade custard, imparting a complex and aromatic vanilla essence that is unparalleled. Since this dessert features only a few key ingredients, the quality of each truly shines through. If a whole vanilla bean isn’t accessible or within your budget, you can substitute with about ½ teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, which still offers visible specks and concentrated flavor, or 1 teaspoon of high-quality vanilla extract. While these alternatives will still yield a delicious custard, the depth of flavor from a fresh vanilla bean is truly worth the effort.

Where can I buy vanilla bean pods?

Vanilla bean pods can sometimes be quite expensive at standard grocery stores. For a more cost-effective option, we highly recommend ordering them online (paid affiliate link). Online retailers often allow you to purchase larger quantities for a price comparable to what you might pay for a single pod in a specialty store, making it a smart way to stock up on this exquisite ingredient.

Can these be made ahead of time?

Absolutely! These creme brulee trifles are an excellent make-ahead dessert, perfect for entertaining. For optimal texture and freshness, prepare the custard and chill it thoroughly. You can assemble the trifles up to step 17 (just before adding the final sugar topping and torching) and keep them refrigerated. However, keep in mind that the shortbread cookies will gradually soften the longer they sit in the refrigerator with the custard. For the best crunchy cookie layer, assemble the trifles no more than 12-24 hours in advance. They are best enjoyed cold and fresh from the fridge, with the caramelized topping added just before serving.

Can I make more servings?

This recipe is designed to yield eight generous one-cup servings. If you’re hosting a larger gathering or prefer smaller portions, you can easily adapt it to make 16 half-cup servings for a party spread. And, of course, if you need even more, the recipe can be scaled up proportionately to suit your specific needs. Just ensure you have enough serving glasses on hand!

Do I have to use shortbread cookies?

We love the classic combination and contrasting crunch that shortbread cookies provide against the creamy brulee custard and soft jam. However, you’re welcome to experiment! Other cookies like vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, or even delicate ladyfingers could work beautifully. You could also use small pieces of pound cake or sponge cake for a different texture. When substituting, use your best judgment regarding the amount, as this recipe has been specifically tested with shortbread cookies.

I don’t like raspberry jam, what else can I use?

The beauty of this trifle lies in its versatility! While raspberry jam offers a delightful tartness that complements the rich custard, feel free to use any jam or preserve you prefer. Strawberry jam, blueberry jam, cherry preserves, or even apricot jam would be excellent choices, each adding its unique fruity note to the dessert. Choose a flavor that you know pairs well with vanilla and cream.

What size glasses did you use?

For this recipe, we used 8-ounce (1-cup) glasses. This provides a substantial and satisfying individual serving. If you opt for smaller glasses, you’ll naturally yield more servings, which can be great for a party where guests might prefer a smaller bite-sized dessert.

How to store leftovers?

These individual trifles will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We do not recommend freezing them, as the custard’s texture can become grainy upon thawing. For the freshest possible experience, especially if you anticipate leftovers, it’s best to assemble the trifles just before serving. This approach helps maintain the crispness of the cookies for as long as possible, as they will soften once they come into contact with the custard.

A glass of homemade Creme Brulee Trifle with ingredients around it. — A tantalizing close-up of our individual Creme Brulee Trifle, ready to be devoured.

Essential Ingredients for Your Decadent Creme Brulee Trifles

Creating extraordinary desserts begins with selecting high-quality ingredients. For these Creme Brulee Trifles, each component plays a vital role in achieving that perfect balance of flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:

Vanilla Bean: The star of our custard, a fresh vanilla bean infuses a deeply aromatic, complex vanilla flavor that cannot be replicated by extracts. For tips on sourcing and alternatives, refer to our FAQ section above. The tiny black specks from the bean are also a hallmark of true homemade vanilla custard.
Large Egg Yolks: These provide the rich, custardy base and contribute significantly to the smooth, luxurious texture. It’s crucial to use fresh, large egg yolks, as substitutes won’t deliver the same results. Don’t waste those leftover egg whites! They can be used for delicious egg white omelets, meringues, or even an easy meringue cookie recipe.
Heavy Cream: This is a must-have for the custard’s creamy consistency and rich mouthfeel. Its high-fat content is what allows the custard to thicken and set beautifully. There are no suitable substitutions for heavy cream in this recipe; lighter creams or milks will not provide the necessary richness or structure.
Granulated Sugar: Used both in the custard for sweetness and sprinkled on top for the signature caramelized crust. Avoid substituting with other sweeteners, as they may affect the custard’s texture and the caramelization process. We have only tested this recipe with granulated sugar to ensure the best outcome.
Shortbread Cookies: We recommend a classic shortbread like Lorna Doone (paid affiliate link) for its buttery flavor and delightful crunch, which provides a wonderful contrast to the smooth custard. If you opt for another type or size of cookie, you may need to adjust the quantity based on its density and how much crumble you desire. Consider other buttery, crisp cookies if shortbread isn’t available.
Seedless Raspberry Jam: This adds a burst of fruity brightness and a touch of tartness that cuts through the richness of the custard. While we prefer seedless for a smoother texture, especially when serving guests, feel free to use a seeded variety if you enjoy it. Strawberry or blueberry jam are also fantastic alternatives that work well with the other flavors.

Heavy cream, shortbread cookies, eggs, sugar, vanilla bean, and raspberry jam. — Gather your simple yet powerful ingredients for a truly magical dessert.

How to Make Creme Brulee Trifles: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these individual Creme Brulee Trifles is a rewarding culinary journey that results in an exquisite dessert. Follow these detailed instructions carefully to ensure a perfect outcome every time.

Preparing the Velvety Vanilla Bean Custard

First, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and position an oven rack in the middle. This precise temperature is crucial for the gentle baking of our custard. Simultaneously, place a large pot of water on your stove and bring it to a rolling boil. This boiling water will be used for our essential water bath, creating a moist cooking environment for the custard.
Carefully take your vanilla bean pod and slice it lengthwise down the middle. Using the back of a knife or a small spoon, scrape out all the tiny, aromatic vanilla seeds from both halves. These precious specks are where most of the vanilla flavor resides.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add your eight large egg yolks. Whisk them vigorously until they are smooth and slightly pale, which usually takes about 1 minute. This ensures a uniform consistency for the custard base. Set this bowl aside for a moment.

collage of two photos: a knife with some vanilla bean on the tip next to the pod; egg yolks and a whisk in a bowl. — Vanilla bean ready for scraping and smoothly whisked egg yolks.

Now, in a large saucepan placed over medium heat, pour in the heavy cream. Add the granulated sugar, whisking continuously to help it dissolve. Crucially, add both the scraped vanilla beans (the specks) and the empty vanilla bean pod to the cream mixture. The pod will infuse even more flavor as it heats.
Gently heat this cream mixture, whisking constantly to prevent any scorching on the bottom of the pan, until it’s just barely simmering. The ideal temperature is around 205°F (96°C). Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat once it reaches this temperature. Carefully remove and discard the vanilla bean pod at this stage.
This next step is critical for preventing scrambled eggs: tempering. Very gradually, and extremely slowly, begin pouring a small amount of the hot cream mixture into your bowl of beaten egg yolks while continuously whisking the yolks. The goal is to slowly raise the temperature of the egg yolks without cooking them. Keep adding the hot cream in a thin stream, never stopping your whisking, until all of the cream is fully incorporated into the egg mixture.

collage of two photos: heavy cream and vanilla bean in a saucepan; heavy cream mixture stirred into egg mixture in a bowl. — Infusing cream with vanilla and the delicate art of tempering egg yolks.

For an ultra-smooth custard, use a fine mesh strainer placed over a clean, large bowl. Pour the entire cream and egg mixture through the strainer to catch any stray vanilla pod pieces or small bits of cooked egg that may have formed. This ensures a silky-smooth texture.
Pour the strained, smooth cream mixture evenly into a 9×9-inch baking dish. Then, carefully place this baking dish inside a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, making sure the outer pan has higher sides.
Now, carefully pour the boiling water (from step 1) into the larger roasting pan, ensuring the water level reaches about halfway up the sides of the 9×9-inch baking dish. Be extremely cautious to avoid splashing any water into the custard mixture itself. This water bath (bain-marie) provides a gentle, even heat, preventing the custard from cracking or cooking too quickly.

collage of three photos: straining vanilla bean pods from custard mixture; custard mixture in a baking dish; hot water being poured into pan. — From straining to the water bath: steps for a perfect custard.

Bake the custard for 40 minutes. After this initial baking time, carefully cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. The custard is perfectly baked when the edges are set, but the center still has a slight jiggle. This indicates a tender, creamy texture.
Once baked, remove the custard from the oven and carefully lift the 9×9-inch dish out of the water bath. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. After it has cooled, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilling is essential for the custard to fully set and for the flavors to deepen.
When you’re ready to assemble and serve your magnificent trifles, take the chilled custard out of the refrigerator. Give it a good stir or whisk until it’s perfectly smooth and creamy. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the baking dish to incorporate any vanilla bean specks that may have settled there; these contribute significantly to the flavor!

collage of two photos: baked custard mixture cooling on a cooling rack; fully cooled custard being stirred up with a fork. — Cooling the baked custard and preparing it for assembly.

Assembling Your Elegant Trifles and Caramelizing the Topping

Now for the fun part: assembly! In your chosen serving glasses (remember to use sturdy, heat-safe glasses if you plan to torch the topping), begin by layering a generous portion of crushed shortbread cookies at the bottom. Follow this with a layer of the prepared vanilla bean custard, then approximately 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam. Repeat the cookie layer, and finish with a final, generous layer of custard.
Sprinkle a liberal amount of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each trifle, ensuring the custard is completely covered. This layer of sugar is what will caramelize into that iconic crispy crust.
Carefully use a small kitchen torch to brown and caramelize the sugar on top of each trifle. Move the flame continuously to ensure even browning and to prevent burning. Work until you achieve a beautiful, golden-brown, crackling crust. It is important to use heat-safe glasses to prevent them from cracking under the heat of the torch. If you don’t have a torch, refer to our FAQ for alternatives or the option to skip this step.

collage of two photos: layering the creme brûlée ingredients in a glass; a kitchen torch heating up the sugar on top of the creme brûlée. — Layering the trifle and torching the sugar for a perfect finish.

Allow the trifles to sit for a couple of minutes after torching. This brief resting period allows the caramelized sugar to harden and set, creating that satisfying crunch. Serve immediately and savor every delicious spoonful!

A spoon in a Creme Brulee Trifle glass. — A spoon breaks through the caramelized sugar into creamy, fruity goodness.

Explore More Decadent Desserts!

If you’ve fallen in love with these Creme Brulee Trifles, you’re in for a treat! We have a collection of equally delicious and impressive dessert recipes that are perfect for any occasion. From comforting classics to easy parfaits, there’s something to satisfy every sweet tooth. Dive into these other delightful creations:

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
Strawberry Shortcake in a Jar
Strawberry Jell-O Parfaits
KFC Strawberry Parfaits
KFC Chocolate Parfaits
KFC Lemon Creme Parfaits
Yogurt Parfaits
Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Costco Raspberry Shortbread Tartlets
Raspberry Jam (with fresh or frozen berries)
Mini Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Close up looking at a layered Creme Brulee Trifle in a glass with a spoon.

Creme Brûlée Trifles

These individual Creme Brûlée Trifles are a surprisingly easy dessert, layered with shortbread cookie crumbs, raspberry jam, and a homemade custard. Such a simple but impressive dessert for the holidays!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Chill Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Brandie Skibinski

Ingredients

For the custard:

1 vanilla bean
8 large egg yolks
1 quart heavy cream (no substitutions)
½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for topping

For assembly:

60 shortbread cookies (like Lorna Doone), crushed
1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and position the oven rack in the middle. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil while you work on the custard.
Cut the vanilla bean pod in half and scrape out the seeds using the back of a knife.
Take a big bowl, add the egg yolks, and whisk them until they become smooth (about 1 minute). Set the bowl aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour in the heavy cream and whisk in the sugar. Also, add the scraped vanilla beans and the vanilla bean pod.
Heat the mixture until it’s almost simmering, constantly whisking to prevent burning. It’s ready when it reaches 205°F (96°C). Remove it from the heat.
Gradually, and very slowly, pour some of the hot cream mixture into the beaten egg yolks while continuously whisking. You need to do it very slowly so you don’t scramble the eggs and you need to be constantly whisking – don’t stop. Keep doing this slowly and continuously until all of the cream is mixed in.
Use a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl to strain the cream mixture to catch the vanilla pod and any solids.
Pour the cream into a 9×9-inch baking dish, and then place the baking dish inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan (that has higher sides).
Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the baking dish. Make sure no water gets into the cream mixture.
Bake for 40 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The cream should still be slightly jiggly in the center.
Let it cool at room temperature on a wire rack for 2 hours. Afterward, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight is even better.
When you’re ready to serve the trifles, take the cream out of the fridge and stir or whisk it until it’s smooth. Don’t forget to mix in those vanilla bean specks that can sink to the bottom of the baking dish!
In serving glasses, layer crushed cookies, followed by cream, about 2 Tablespoons of raspberry jam, more cookies, and a final layer of cream.
Sprinkle a generous amount of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each trifle, making sure to cover the cream completely.
Use a small kitchen torch to carefully brown the tops until they’re nicely caramelized (it is important you are using heat safe glasses so they do not crack when using the torch).
Let the trifles sit for a couple of minutes to allow the sugar to set. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Please refer to our FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Serving sizes will change based on the size of your glasses. We used 8 ounce glasses so each serving is one cup.
Use strong, sturdy glasses or ramekins since you’re using a kitchen torch to brulee the topping. You don’t want it to shatter.
If you don’t have any way to torch the sugar on top, just skip it. This is an absolutely delicious layered custard all on its own even without the crunchy sugar topping!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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