brulee
brulee Lexical Profile
• noun
A rich custard dessert topped with a brittle layer of caramelized sugar, or any similar sweet dish prepared with a torched sugar crust.
"For the final course, we ordered a classic vanilla bean brulee and a pot of espresso."
• adjective
Topped with a layer of caramelized sugar that has been browned and hardened using intense direct heat; prepared in the style of crème brûlée.
"The pastry chef served a rich lemon tart brulee that cracked satisfyingly under the spoon."
• verb
To caramelize sugar on the surface of a food or dessert by applying intense direct heat with a kitchen torch or broiler until a crisp, browned crust forms.
"Just before serving, the chef will brulee the sliced figs and arrange them over the mascarpone."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often spelled with French diacritics as 'brûlée'. As a standalone adjective in English, it typically follows the noun it modifies (postpositive), whereas the Anglicized participial form 'bruleed' (or 'brûléed') usually precedes the noun.
• Rhymes for brulee
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from French 'brûlée', the feminine past participle of 'brûler' (to burn), from Old French 'brusler', which blends Vulgar Latin '*ustulare' (to scorch) with a Germanic root akin to 'brennen' (to burn).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.