Friday is National Creme Brulee Day
For years, egg custard — that creamy old-school dessert standby — was a staple on American restaurant menus and buffets (the old Putsch’s Cafeteria had a great version), but it sort of became unfashionable when the “loving hands at home” style of desserts (tapioca pudding, layer cakes, prune whip) fell out of favor. But a more elegant spin on the same custard concept, creme brulee, was taking over.
Why? Charles d’Ablaing, the executive chef at Chaz on the Plaza, says, “It’s a dessert that you can’t go wrong with. People love it, it’s not complicated to make, and America has always had a love affair with pudding.”
Creme brulee — the recipe dates back to at least the 17th century — is technically a baked custard, but it’s that wonderful soft consistency, like a rich pudding, that counts.
