Maple Creme Brulee for Two

Published: Nov 11, 2011 · Modified: May 22, 2020 by Christina Lane · This post may contain affiliate links · 55 Comments

Maple creme brulee for two.

Crème brulee is my ace in the hole. It’s thekind ofthing I like to keep in my back pocket and pull out when I need it.Frequently,Ihave 2 ramekins in the fridge awaiting a sprinkling of sugar and a pass of the torch. It’s not a bad thing toserve when your boyfriend or husband is a little mad at you. One bite of rich creaminess paired with crunchy sugar and you’re out of the dog house. You can trust me on this one.

See, I wasn’t going to talk about this because Ilike to pretend my life is a perfect square box all wrapped up with pretty ribbon. Butit ain’t. My life is not all clean counters, empty dishwashers, and non-mildew smelling sponges. Nor is it all petite ramekins, small whisks and eggs that perfectly separate themselves.

Mr. Dessert For Two and I spent all of last month apart. I decided on my birthday that I wanted to be alone on the road of life. Do birthdays make anyone else do crazy things? It wasn’t so much him as it was that the idea of marriage paralyzes me with fear. I wanted to push him away from me just in case we got married and things didn’t work out exactly like I thought they should. Just in case I woke up next to him and hated my life one day. In case my logic is failing you: I feel like if I wake up alone and hate my life, it’s my own fault. I like to be in complete control of my life: my time, my space, my feelings, my heart. I want to be the only one in charge. Yes, it’s a lonely life, but it’s a safe life. If I love no one, thenno one canlet me down. If I didn’t have everything I wanted in life, it was up to me to get it—I don’t want to depend on anyone.

I feel a little like a freak: I don’t know why marriage terrifies me, while every other woman is elated at the thought of a big white dress. I don’t know how other women can put on a shiny diamond ring everyday and announce to the world that they have found the only person with whom they want to spend their life. What if you meet someone great at 50 and you’re stuck with the person you married at 27? What do you do?! These thoughts used to race through my head almost daily.

The thing about meand Mr. Dessert For Two is that marriage has always been on the table: he told me on our third date that I'm the woman he wants to marry and he asked me to “just let him know in my own little way that I was ready.” When he said that almost a year ago, I instantly picked a fight and pushed him away. That’s what any sensible womandoes when the perfect man walks in your life, right? Tell me I'm not the only one.

Well, last month was a long one. I did a lot of thinking, and I’ve decided that the 27th year of my life is going to be a good one. The path Mr. Dessert For Two and I want to travel on sounds much better than the one I was planning alone. We have plans to buy land and create a farm that’s more than just a source of income: we want our farm to be the center of our lives, and maybe even the center of our little town. We decided we’d rather have 50 acres close to the city than 500 acres far outside the city because life is richer with people in it---including husbands.

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On a small but very special side note: I'd like to thank all Veterans for their service today, especially Mr. Dessert For Two. And I'd also like to wish the Marine Corps a very happy 236th birthday. Ooo-rah!

Yield: 2

Makes 2 ramekins of maple creme brulee made with maple syrup.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time50 minutes

Additional Time8 hours

Total Time9 hours

Ingredients

3 large egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon maple extract
2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 and put on a kettle of water to boil for your water bath. Make sure your 2 ramekins fit inside the dish you will be baking them in.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the sugar. Divide the mixture between 2 ramekins and place in the baking dish. Pour boiling water into the baking dish half way up the sides of the ramekins, being careful not to splash it inside the ramekins.
Bake for 40 minutes for wide shallow ramekins and 50-55 minutes for regular ramekins.
Let cool in water bath, then move to fridge to chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours.
Right before serving (and only then), sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over each and brulee with a kitchen torch until browned and crispy.

Did you make this recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Andrea says
November 16, 2011 at 3:44 pm
You have a right to question yourself, and your guy, and marriage to be! It's a scary commitment!! I've just gotten married within the last six months, and it was the best decision I ever made. Seems like absence made the heart grow fonder, for you. And if you two are meant to be together, Mr Dessert for Two will ride through your questioning!
This dessert looks fab. I need a brulee torch.
On another note... I took your photo advice in and feel like I had my best food photo session ever! I just really had fun with it and allowed myself to look around my house and see what I already had that would make a good set-up. And I think I got something! Thank you SO much! Check it out if you have a minute!
Reply
Esther says
November 16, 2011 at 5:37 pm
I love this post. Thanks for being so honest...you are definitely not a freak. Sometimes I question too why we are expected to want certain things (e.g. kids, marriage), mostly because I have a fear of commitment. But (somehow :) ) I am married to a wonderful guy and I will say that often I take for granted the fact that I get to go through life with someone who shares my interests. Since marriage has it's highs and lows, I don't always think about the fact that he gets me so well and that he actually is my best friend (cliché but true). But when I do think about it, I'm really thankful. Your plans with your man sound amazing, and it's super cool that you both want that. Now before I continue rambling, I need to tell you that your brulee looks incredible. Maple is such a good idea!
Reply
Heidi Hawyes says
November 20, 2011 at 1:22 am
These are so nice. Creme brûlée is my ultimate favourite!!!! I just adore your website. So glad I found u!
Reply
Melissa says
November 21, 2011 at 7:09 am
See Also
Baked Camembert Salad Recipe
Finally a creme brulee recipe for two!!! I MUST try this. It is my bf's favorite dessert. Thanks!!!
Reply
Nick P (Bakefails) says
February 29, 2012 at 9:11 am
Your writing is so much better (more honest) than some of the food blogs I read, thank you for that, and I totally feel you on the fear thing. Creme brulee is with a doubt one of my top 3 favorite desserts, and I just tried your recipe. I have a question, though, about the water bath. What is the difference b/n using one and putting the creme brulee in the oven without one? Is it like a double boiler, in that it prevents from overcooking the custard?
Reply
- Christina says
  February 29, 2012 at 9:15 am
  Hi Nick,
  Thanks so much for reading :) It means a lot to me.
  The water bath helps the custard bake more evenly. If you don't use a water bath, the custard has the potential to over-bake at the edges and bottom of the ramekin. This could mean hard custard. Not good. So yes, almost like a double boiler: more even, gentle cooking.
  Thanks for making my creme brulee. I hope it was delightful :)
  Christina
  Reply
Michelle says
May 25, 2012 at 11:49 am
Hi new friend! I know this is waaayyy late, but I just read this post and while I'm the girl that always wanted to get married, I want you to know that my I have a friend that feels the same way about marriage, and now that she is engaged she is struggling with planning a wedding while still having some of those feelings. So you're not alone! But I'm glad to know you are excited about planning a wedding with Mr. Dessert for Two!
xo!
Michelle
Reply
Shirley says
October 29, 2012 at 9:31 am
Love is not something that you "fall in and out of," love is a decision. Once you commit your life to that special person, it's a lifetime commitment. You may not always "feel" in love, but you just love your spouse because you vowed that you would. I've been married for 31 years and it's not always been easy, but once you get through some hard times, it gets easier to get through other hard times. The security and peace that you gain (and give to your children) is immeasurably worth any momentary discomfort you have. People are so quick to be "green" and recycle everything except their most important relationship. Marriages get discarded so easily. If you don't subscribe to this ideology you will be most likely never have a "lifetime love," but will only have serial relationships. I can't imagine anything worse. PS - Creme brulee is awesome. :)
Reply
Jade says
September 01, 2016 at 6:10 pm
I assume the recipe uses real maple syrup and not table syrup? Just wanted to double check before I make it. Thanks!
Reply
Kylie Ferguson says
March 16, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Please don't delete this.
We are similar in that we worry way to much about everything that "could" happen, instead of focusing on all the great things that have happened.
Reading this post really helps me when I am having my own anti-marriage freak outs, because I realize that I am not alone in worrying. I mean those worry spirals suck. I have looked at pictures of me and my boyfriend and thought why is someone so great staying with me even though I am such a terrible person who doesn't really love him. But then I talk to him, or a friend, or my dad, and I realize how stupid I am being, and that I worry about everything and just project it on my relationship because my relationship is the most important thing in the world to me. And then I am like duh, what is wrong with you, of course you love him, of course things will be fine.
So reading this post and seeing that you and Mr. Dessert for two are now happily married with an incredible daughter is like another person telling me that everything is going to be okay, and I am sure a lot of other worriers feel the same way.
It's like having positive hindsight.
Thanks for that, and for all the incredible small batch dessert recipes.
Reply
- Kylie Ferguson says
  March 16, 2017 at 3:19 pm
  P.s. the "please don't delete this" is in reference to your post that you wonder if you should delete this because it's too personal.
  Reply
- Christina Lane says
  March 19, 2017 at 9:46 pm
  Thank you so much, Kylie. I read your comment on a Saturday morning where my husband got up before me, took the dogs for a walk, got the baby up, and dressed and fed her. I walked into a beautiful life, and it's scary re-reading this post...that I almost didn't do it. That I thought living alone in the country would be better than this current life. Life isn't perfect, that's for dang sure, and marriage has been HARD. But so very worth it :) <3
  I wish you the best of luck, Kylie! Don't run from your life and let fear guide you :) I wish you much happiness :) <3
  Reply
Bob Meunier says
February 09, 2020 at 2:05 pm
I don’t know why I never made Creme Brulee before and thought it was hard and messy to make. This was so easy and one of the best things I’ve ever eaten- and that’s saying something because I love to cook and bake!
Reply

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