Mark's Notebook

Creme de la creme brulee

San Jose Mercury News

SIMPLE CUSTARD WITH CARAMEL CRUST, LONG A FAVORITE IN FINE RESTAURANTS, IS SURPRISINGLY EASY TO MAKE AT HOME

By Beth Hensperger

Enduringly popular in restaurants, creme brulee is intimidating to many home bakers. It really shouldn't be; plain or flavored creme brulee is incredibly easy to produce at home. The dish consists of a baked custard with a browned-on sugar topping. In testing recipes for this article, I found I preferred the simplest method of mixing the custard. You don't need any special equipment, though a butane or propane torch is the easiest way to caramelize the top.

Creme brulee was introduced into the American restaurant world by Sirio Maccioni, owner of Manhattan's famous Le Cirque restaurant, and his wife, Egidiana -- called Egi -- a renowned cook in her own right. Sirio dubbed it creme brulee, or burnt cream, after the English version of the custard.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/food/10736883.htm

Also:

• Slideshow: How to use a torch to create the caramelized glaze for creme brulee
• Getting the glaze
• My favorite creme brulee
• Lou's creme brulee à l'orange
• Parcel 104 vanilla bean creme brulee

Articles

Last updated Monday 3 August 2009