What French dessert consists of a rich custard topped with caramelized sugar?

The French dessert consisting of a rich custard topped with caramelized sugar is crème brûlée.

Crème brûlée is typically made from cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. The custard is baked gently, often in a bain-marie, until it sets while remaining smooth and creamy. Just before serving, sugar is scattered across the surface and heated with a culinary torch, salamander, or another very hot tool until it melts into a thin, brittle caramel shell.

The contrast between the cool, soft custard and the warm, crackling topping is central to the dessert. Crème caramel is different: its caramel is poured into the mold before the custard cooks, so the finished dessert is inverted and served with a liquid caramel sauce. Flan is a broader family of baked custards, while île flottante consists of poached meringue floating on custard sauce.

The earliest known printed recipe under the name crème brûlée appeared in François Massialot’s 1691 cookbook. Its ultimate origin remains disputed, because related desserts include Spain’s crema catalana and England’s Trinity cream. The French name simply means “burnt cream.”