📖 Instructions

1. First, let’s brown the butter. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until it turns a nutty brown color and emits a fragrant aroma. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Watch closely, because it can burn quickly! Remove from heat and stir in the chopped sage. Let it steep for 15 minutes to infuse the butter with sage flavor. I find that using a light colored pan helps to better assess the colour of the butter as it browns.
2. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). While the butter is steeping, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until pale and slightly thickened. You don't need to beat it vigorously, just enough to combine the ingredients.
3. Strain the browned butter through a fine-mesh sieve into the egg yolk mixture, discarding the sage leaves. This will remove any browned milk solids and ensure a smooth custard. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla extract until everything is well combined. Don't skip the straining step; it makes a huge difference in the final texture.
4. Pour the custard mixture evenly into six ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This creates a water bath, which helps the custard cook gently and evenly. Isn't it genius?
5. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the custards are set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center. They should jiggle like jelly. Remove the baking pan from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water bath for about 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. It is important to not remove them from the bath immediatly because the temperture shock can ruin the final custard. You don't want that!
6. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it's golden brown and bubbly. If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can broil the custards in the oven for a few minutes, but watch them closely to prevent burning. The cracking sound when you tap it will be music to your ears. Serve immediately and enjoy your decadent Brown Butter Sage Crème Brûlée! Its just so fun to say.
7. If you don't have a kitchen torch, you can broil the custards in the oven for a few minutes, but watch them closely to prevent burning. I also like to use a larger ramekin, more to share
8. If you are using a blow torch, keep the torch moving and keep it about 2 inches from the surface. That's something someone should have told me.