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Crème brûlée is a delectable delicacy that exudes decadence, elegance, and simplicity. It appears to be the typical French dessert at first appearance. Despite the fact that its name means "burnt cream" in French, the exact origins of crème brûlée remain obscure. In truth, France, England, and Spain have all claimed to be the crème brûlée's birthplace.
Following up on the crème search, PJP tells us that it was discovered English recipes for something quite similar to crème brûlée dating back to the 15th century. It appears that the milk in England was unusually rich during calving season in the spring, and a sweetened custard was created seasonally to take advantage of those plentiful days. According to some, the burning of the sugar was added later at Trinity College in Cambridge where a student is credited with the idea of branding the school crest into a topping of sugar. It’s called Cambridge Cream or Trinity Cream and has been a staple on the school’s menu ever since.
By 1691, documented crème brûlée recipes began to appear in French cookbooks, but instead of burning the sugar directly into the custard, they topped it with a caramelised sugar disc that had already been made. There is a technical difference between our present interpretation and this one, though it is minor.
Spain's Crema Catalana, the dark horse in this race, is supposed to date back to the Middle Ages. We can narrow it down to somewhere between the fifth and fifteenth century. Our question remains unsolved; however, we do know that the art of manufacturing custard gained popularity in the Middle Ages and spread fast throughout Europe, making it difficult to pinpoint the first brûlée.