16 creme 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.

Light custard made with skim milk and egg substitute bakes over fresh raspberries in custard cups, then gets topped with caramelized sugar for a low-fat crème brûlée.

I love Creme Brulee but with the high fat have been working on a no-guilt low fat version of this French delight. It had to be creamy with the subtle flavors I remember from when I was in Cannes France. Last weekend my father came to visit and here it is, low-fat no guilt Creme Brulee using Canadian maple syrup and a Madagascar vanilla bean. Guaranteed to knock the socks of any guest and you can feel the guilty feeling they have once they taste it. Then they're so relived when you tell them the ingredients. Truly no guilt.

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.

Classic creme brulee with fresh fruit made using a stovetop double boiler method. Rich egg yolk custard topped with caramelized brown sugar and served with strawberries or peaches.

Maple creme brulee sweetened with pure maple syrup instead of granulated sugar. Rich, silky custard made with 10 egg yolks and a whole vanilla bean, baked in a water bath until set.

A delicious and decadent dessert is made with light cream and fresh peaches and strawberries.

Savory Gorgonzola and leek crème brûlée: silky blue cheese custard with sweet sautéed leeks, torched to a bubbling Parmesan crust. An elegant first course that turns brûlée savory.

Fresh blackberries macerated in aged balsamic vinegar, layered with creamy Greek yogurt and honey, then topped with a crackly torched sugar crust. A no-bake crème brûlée that's elegant enough for a dinner party.

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.

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.

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.

A lighter peach brulee: ripe sliced peaches with orange juice, blanketed in tangy Greek yogurt and topped with a crackly broiled-sugar crust. The flavors of creme brulee with a fraction of the work.

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.

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.