crème brûlée

American  

[krem broo-lay, kreem, krem bry-lay] / ˌkrɛm bruˈleɪ, ˌkrim, krɛm brüˈleɪ /

noun

French Cooking.

• crèmes brûlées
  plural

1. a custard that has been sprinkled with sugar and placed under a broiler until a brown crust forms on top.

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crème brûlée British  

/ krɛm bryle /

noun

1. a cream or custard dessert covered with caramelized sugar

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• crèmes brûlées
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of crème brûlée

1885–90; < French: literally, burnt cream

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crème brûlée

If you go to a restaurant charging €19.50, your total cost for a veal steak with rice and a crème brûlée is just $23 at current exchange rates.

From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026

One character in “Never Mind” has “a face like a crème brûlée after the first blow of the spoon, all covered in little cracks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

And there are creations of mine that are entirely unique to the book: "Crème Brûlée Cookie Sandwich" — my take on the iconic crème brûlée, but in cookie form.

From Salon ● May 28, 2024

Re-emerging after the pandemic as a no-tipping venue, this cheerful, family-owned Central District moviehouse/eatery offers an extensive menu of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and desserts — including a very “Amélie”-worthy crème brûlée.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2024

The waiter came offering dessert: crème brûlée, mango and chocolate sorbet, or strawberry saffron and sweet-corn vanilla gelato.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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