Most brûlées suffer from a trio of problems: The temperature is tepid, not cold; the custard is leaden, not ethereal; and the flavors are tired. A proper brûlée should have a crackly bittersweet sugar crust over a chilly custard of balanced egginess, creaminess, and sweetness; the perfect balance of temperature, texture, and taste. With a lot of testing, we discovered the keys to the perfect–and surprisingly easy–classic crème brûlée recipe: lots of yolks for richness, turbinado sugar for a crunchy crust, an instant-read thermometer for judging the custard’s doneness (with instructions for how to adapt cook time based on the shape and size of your ramekins), and a final chill for the best texture. In addition to all the steps to our recipe, you will learn how to avoid common crème brûlée mistakes like an undercooked custard or curdled yolks.