Creme Brulee

Crème brûlée (French crème brûlée — “burnt cream”) is a refined classic French dessert that embodies a beautiful contrast of textures. It consists of a tender, velvety custard based on cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, the surface of which is covered by a thin, hard, crisp crust of caramelised sugar.

The magic of the dessert lies precisely in this contrast: when you break the brittle, still-warm caramel crust with a spoon, beneath it is revealed a cold, silky, melt-in-the-mouth cream. Crème brûlée is made in two stages. First the custard is slowly baked in a water bath at a low temperature until it “sets” while staying tender, and it is chilled. Then, just before serving, the surface is sprinkled with a thin layer of sugar and torched with a special kitchen blowtorch (or under the grill) to form that same golden caramel crust. Classic crème brûlée is flavoured with vanilla, but there are variations too — with coffee, chocolate, lavender, citrus, and berries. This elegant dessert, with its play of temperatures and textures, has long been a symbol of French confectionery refinement. Simple in appearance but demanding in execution, crème brûlée gives a true, refined pleasure.