Brûlée topping
A thin, glassy layer of caramelized sugar made by sprinkling sugar over a dessert and melting it with a kitchen torch or a very hot broiler.
- Decorating, finishing and presentation
The classic brûlée topping crowns crème brûlée, but the same crackly shell works on custard tarts, rice pudding, cheesecake and even grapefruit halves. A thin, even layer of granulated or turbinado sugar is spread over the chilled surface, then heated until it melts, bubbles and turns amber.
Sugar starts to caramelize at about 320°F (160°C), so the torch flame should keep moving to avoid scorched spots. Two thin layers, each torched in turn, give a sturdier shell than one thick one. The topping softens in the fridge, so it is best made just before serving.
