To burn or scorch the surface of something with heat; caramelized by burning (as in crème brûlée).
From French 'brûler,' meaning 'to burn.' Comes from Latin 'burere' or possibly Germanic roots. In cooking, specifically refers to the caramelization technique that creates a crispy burned surface over creamy filling.
Crème brûlée became fashionable in 1960s France but the technique is actually medieval—cooks have been torching custard for centuries, and the dish's popularity surged when it became the trendy fancy dessert that regular people could actually master at home.
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