French · dessert
Crème Brûlée
Crème Brûlée reads sweetness 8.8, richness 7.9 and floral 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a French dessert, about 4 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 4.6 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 9.1 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 0.0 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 0.4 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 8.2 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Sweetness 8.8 · Richness 7.9 · Floral 4.7 · Umami 4.6 · Fruity 1.2 · Nutty 0.8 · Salinity 0.7
What's in it (5)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 4 tsp fine caster sugar (for topping)
Time & effort: about 4 hr (15 min active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 335 kcal, 5.4 g protein, 25.9 g fat, 13.6 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Infuse cream with vanilla, whisk with egg yolks and sugar, and strain into shallow ramekins.
- Bake in a water bath at low heat until the custard is just barely set with a slight jiggle.
- Cool, then refrigerate; just before serving, sprinkle evenly with caster sugar and caramelize with a kitchen torch.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Leche Flan (Filipino Caramel Custard) — Filipino
- Helado de Lucuma — Peruvian
- Egg Tart (蛋挞) — Chinese
- Pudim de Leite Condensado — Brazilian
- Flan Napolitano — Mexican
Keep reading: what sweetness, richness, floral mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.