Swapped my butane torch for a $40 induction burner for creme brulee and never looked back

After burning 8 ramekins of custard in a row at the Brooklyn pop-up last spring because the torch kept scorching the sugar unevenly, I switched to a small induction burner and a steel spatula for that caramel layer, and now I'm wondering if anyone else has ditched open flame for precision here or am I just late to the party?

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ruby_lane25d ago

Burning 8 ramekins in a row" is exactly why I gave up on torches too, but I took it a step further. I stopped doing the sugar layer by hand altogether. I melt the sugar into a syrup first with a little water, then pour it thin over the custard and hit it with the induction burner for a few seconds. It gives you that glassy crack without any hotspots, and you can actually control how dark it gets. Even better, the steel spatula trick works way better if you preheat it on the burner first, not just use it cold. The torch is basically just for show now, honestly.