Crème brûlée also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity cream is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel. It is normally served at room temperature. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but can have a variety of other flavorings.

Crème brûlée is usually served in individual ramekins. Discs of caramel may be prepared separately and put on top just before serving, or the caramel may be formed directly on top of the custard, immediately before serving. To do this, sugar is sprinkled onto the custard, then caramelized under a salamander broiler or with a butane torch (blowtorch).

The earliest known reference to crème brûlée in print appears in François Massialot's 1691 cookbook Cuisinier royal et bourgeois. The name "burnt cream" was used in the 1702 English translation. Confusingly, in 1740 Massailot referred to a similar recipe as crême à l'Angloise, 'English cream'.

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