Creme Brulee

[giveup]

I have just made a dozen Creme Brulees to take to a party tomorrow. When they have cooled would it be OK to put the sugar on and caramelise them or would they go peculiar in the fridge overnight. I would prefer to do them this evening as I have an early start tomorrow.(I dont want to ruin them) Thanks for any advice.

[chaptazbru]

Always think creme brulees should be caramelised just before serving - may go soggy in fridge. Just my opinion though.

[giveup]

Thats what worries me.

[rojash]

"Just my opinion though"
Mine too.

[giveup]

Thanks both of you. I'll just have to get up earlier and do them in the morning.

[chaptazbru]

Bummer ....

[heathfield]

Carmelise at the last minute, otherwise the toffee is likely to soften. Keeping the creme in the fridge overnight should be OK, but really it's best made as near to serving as possible. The longer you keep it, the more likely it is to separate.

[Sir Alec]

Even if kept in the fridge, the brulee seems to 'sweat' and soften. I know from experience.

[Clanad]

Most answers are exactly right in that you want to brulee' the cremes just before serving but try to arrange to place the freshly brulle'd ramakins back in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving to enhance the "crackling" effect of the topping...

I hope you aren't using one of the useless little brulle' torches sold in food stores... a real man's propane torch is much better since it easily produces the searing heat necessary to brown the sugar...
Best of luck!

[heathfield]

Useless, Clanad? My kitchen créme brullé torch is utterly handy. Amongst other jobs, I've used it for soldering pipework in tight places, freeing seized nuts and bolts, etc etc. Wouldn't be without it. Oh! And I also use it for making créme brullé. ;-)