French for “burnt cream,” crème brûlée is one of those desserts that seems simple to make, but in reality, requires quite a bit of finesse. The staple ingredients are cream, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk. The best part? The crackly, caramelized top.
The first appearance of a recipe for crème brûlée came in 1691, out of a cookbook belonging to a chef to French royals. Francois Massialot transcribed the early crème brûlée recipe in a cookbook called Cuisinier royal et bourgeois, meaning “Royal and Bourgeois Cuisine.” It makes sense that this dish was originally created for royals, because it’s continuously served in traditional French fine-dining establishments today.
