Crème brûlée is made of a rich custard base, usually from cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla , topped with a thin layer of caramelized sugar.

What goes inside

  • Cream or a cream-and-milk mixture.
  • Egg yolks, which thicken the custard.
  • Sugar, for sweetness.
  • Vanilla, for flavor.

What makes it special

The signature finish is the crisp sugar top that’s browned or torched until it forms a brittle caramel shell.

In simple terms

It’s basically a silky vanilla custard under a crunchy burnt-sugar crust.