If you love the crisp, glassy crack of crème brûlée and the buttery layers of a flaky croissant, this dessert brings the two together in the most indulgent way. These Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée Croissants are filled with a silky caramel cream and coated in a delicate, caramelized sugar shell that shatters slightly with every bite.
The croissants are first dipped in a golden brûlée syrup that hardens into a crisp coating, creating that signature caramel crunch. Inside, a rich salted caramel crème made with custard and softly whipped cream adds a smooth, luxurious filling that balances sweetness with a hint of salt.
Yield: 6-8 croissants
Equipment:
- Saucepan
- Hand Mixer
- Piping Bag
- Round Metal Tip
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Brulee Topping
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Salted Caramel Creme Filling
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 cups heavy cream, divided
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Slowly add 2 cups of heavy cream, whisking to prevent lumps. Add the egg yolks and whisk again until smooth.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a custard-like consistency, about 5–7 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature, then chill for 20–30 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whip the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream with the powdered sugar and salt until soft peaks form.
Once the custard is chilled, gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the custard until smooth and fully combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To prepare the brulee topping, combine the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup thickens, becoming an amber color, about 10-15 minutes.
Dip each croissant into the amber brulee topping and let the excess drip off, transferring to some parchment paper to set. Repeat with all the croissants and allow the topping to cool and harden.
Once they are hardened, use a piping bag fitted with a round metal tip to fill each croissant with the salted caramel crème, inserting the tip into the side or bottom and squeezing until the croissant feels full.
