Crème brûlée

The earliest known recipe for crème brûlée appears in François Massialot's 1691 cookbook, Nouvelle Instruction pour les Coupeurs de Fruits. The recipe, called "burnt cream," calls for eggs, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Massialot was the chef to Louis XIV, and his cookbook was very popular in its day.

The dish became known as crème brûlée in the 18th century. It was a popular dessert in France and England, and was often served at important events such as banquets and balls.

Crème brûlée recipes began appearing in American cookbooks in the early 19th century. The first known recipe was published in an 1805 cookbook called The Virginia Housewife. The recipe was very similar to the French version, but called for the addition of lemon zest.

Advice

When making crème brûlée, it is important to use a good quality vanilla extract and cream for the best flavor. Always bake the custard slowly and evenly, and be sure to chill it thoroughly before adding the sugar topping. When adding the sugar topping, make sure to spread it evenly and use a kitchen torch to evenly caramelize the sugar. If the sugar does not caramelize properly, it can affect the texture and flavor of the finished crème brûlée. Lastly, be sure to enjoy your crème brûlée within a few hours of baking, as it will not taste as fresh the next day.

Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights

Recipes

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Crème brûlée

  • estratto di vaniglia
  • fragole
  • latte
  • panna fresca
  • al caramello
  • al cioccolato
  • tuorli
  • zucchero
  • zucchero di canna
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Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

  • salt
  • cinnamon
  • heavy cream
  • milk
  • pumpkin puree
  • sugar
  • allspice
  • ginger
  • nutmeg
  • light brown sugar
  • vanilla extract
  • egg yolk
  • sugar
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Gjetost Crème Brûlée

  • light brown sugar
  • salt
  • heavy cream
  • milk
  • vanilla extract
  • cornstarch
  • sugar
  • red currant compote
  • butter
  • gjetost
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Crème Brûlée with Shortbread and Cherry Compote

  • sugar
  • caramel sauce
  • cream
  • shortcrust pastry
  • sugar cherry compote
  • salt
  • complete
  • egg white
  • vanilla pod
  • cream
  • wholewheat flour
  • muscovado sugar
  • confectioners sugar
  • egg yolk
  • rice starch
  • sugar
  • beet sugar
  • milk
  • cornstarch
  • baking powder
  • butter

Ingredient Breakdown

 
sugar
egg yolk
heavy cream
salt
vanilla extract
milk
vanilla bean
cinnamon
nutmeg
egg
vanilla pod
light brown sugar
espresso
water
brown sugar
fava bean
cornstarch
butter
cream
bourbon
coffee liquor
bittersweet chocolate
sugar cooky
cream heavy cream
estratto di vaniglia
fragole
latte
panna fresca
al caramello
al cioccolato
tuorli
zucchero
zucchero di canna
pumpkin puree
allspice
ginger
lavender
half
almond extract
amaretto liqueur
mint
sanding sugar
sweetener
caper berry
olive oil
pepper
vinegar
orange zest
rosemary
duck egg
smoked salt
coconut oil
pink peppercorn
vanilla bean paste
white chocolate chip
popcorn
red currant compote
gjetost
caramel sauce
shortcrust pastry
sugar cherry compote
complete
egg white
wholewheat flour
muscovado sugar
confectioners sugar
rice starch
beet sugar
baking powder
turbinado sugar
qt heavy cream

Insights

Correlated with Higher Ratings

  • heavy cream
  • egg yolk

Common Ingredients

  • egg yolk 62%
  • heavy cream 62%
  • sugar 62%

Rarey Ingredients

  • salt 33%
  • vanilla extract 33%