9 cream brulee recipes

Creme brulee, the classic French dessert: silky vanilla custard made from just cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, baked gently in a water bath and finished with a crackly torched sugar crust.

Mango brulee with a custard made from double cream, fromage frais, and egg yolks topped with caramelized demerara sugar. A lighter take on classic creme brulee.

Gooseberry burnt creams are a British dessert with tart gooseberry puree topped with whipped fromage blanc and double cream, finished with a crackable caramel sugar shell. A fruit-forward creme brulee.

Raspberry and fig gratin with sour cream and broiled brown sugar crust. Four ingredients, 15 minutes, and the caramelized sugar cracks like creme brulee over warm fruit.

Vanilla bean creme brulee tartlets, silky custard set in a crisp buttery pastry shell and finished with a torched, crackly caramel top. Crowned with whipped cream and fresh berries for an elegant dessert.

Honey crème brûlée with raspberries swaps classic heavy cream for reduced-fat milk enriched with nonfat dry milk, sweetened with honey, and topped with a crackly caramelized sugar crust. An elegant French dessert, lightened up.

Nutty cheese brulee: warm Brie drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping and a scatter of toasted pecans, microwaved until soft and served with crackers and fresh fruit. A 3-minute appetizer.

Super-rich creme brulee made with nine egg yolks, heavy cream, and a whole vanilla bean, baked low in a water bath until just set, then crowned with a crackly caramelized sugar crust. Silkier than any restaurant version.

Creme brulee is the classic French baked custard: a silky cream base set gently in a water bath, then finished with a thin, glassy sheet of caramelized sugar you crack through with a spoon. Simpler to make than it looks.