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Maple creme brulee for two.

Crรจme brulee is my ace in the hole. Itโ€™s theย kind ofย thing I like to keep in my back pocket and pull out when I need it.ย Frequently,ย Iย have 2 ramekins in the fridge awaiting a sprinkling of sugar and a pass of the torch. Itโ€™s not a bad thing toย serve when your boyfriend or husband is a little mad at you. One bite of rich creaminess paired with crunchy sugar and youโ€™re out of the dog house. You can trust me on this one.

See, I wasnโ€™t going to talk about this because Iย like to pretend my life is a perfect square box all wrapped up with pretty ribbon. Butย it ainโ€™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 wasnโ€™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 didnโ€™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, itโ€™s my own fault. I like to be in complete control of my life:ย  my time, my space, my feelings, my heart. I want to be the only one in charge. Yes, itโ€™s a lonely life, but itโ€™s a safe life. If I love no one, thenย no one canย let me down. If I didnโ€™t have everything I wanted in life, it was up to me to get itโ€”I donโ€™t want to depend on anyone.

I feel a little like a freak:ย  I donโ€™t know why marriage terrifies me, while every other woman is elated at the thought of a big white dress. I donโ€™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 youโ€™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 meย and Mr. Dessert For Two is that marriage has always been on the table:ย  he told me on our third date that Iโ€™m the woman he wants to marry and he asked me to โ€œjust let him know in my own little way that I was ready.โ€ When he said that almost a year ago, I instantly picked a fight and pushed him away. Thatโ€™s what any sensible womanย does when the perfect man walks in your life, right? Tell me Iโ€™m not the only one.

Well, last month was a long one. I did a lot of thinking, and Iโ€™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 thatโ€™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 weโ€™d rather have 50 acres close to the city than 500 acres far outside the city because life is richer with people in itโ€”including husbands.

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

Yield: 2

Maple Creme Brulee for Two

Maple Creme Brulee for Two

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

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
  • 2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Bake for 40 minutes for wide shallow ramekins and 50-55 minutes for regular ramekins.
  4. Let cool in water bath, then move to fridge to chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours.
  5. Right before serving (and only then), sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over each and brulee with a kitchen torch until browned and crispy.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 458Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 438mgSodium: 132mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 12g

Did you make this recipe?

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ย 

About Christina Lane

Christina Lane is the author of 5 cookbooks all about cooking and baking for two. She has scaled down hundreds of recipes into smaller servings so you can enjoy your favorite dishes without the leftovers! Valentine's Day is her favorite holiday.

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55 Comments

  1. Andrea says:

    You have a right to question yourself, and your guy, and marriage to be! Itโ€™s a scary commitment!! Iโ€™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 noteโ€ฆ 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!

  2. Esther says:

    I love this post. Thanks for being so honestโ€ฆyou 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 itโ€™s highs and lows, I donโ€™t always think about the fact that he gets me so well and that he actually is my best friend (clichรฉ but true). But when I do think about it, Iโ€™m really thankful. Your plans with your man sound amazing, and itโ€™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!

  3. Heidi Hawyes says:

    These are so nice. Creme brรปlรฉe is my ultimate favourite!!!! I just adore your website. So glad I found u!

  4. Melissa says:

    Finally a creme brulee recipe for two!!! I MUST try this. It is my bfโ€™s favorite dessert. Thanks!!!

  5. Nick P (Bakefails) says:

    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?

    1. Christina says:

      Hi Nick,

      Thanks so much for reading :) It means a lot to me.

      The water bath helps the custard bake more evenly. If you donโ€™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

  6. Michelle says:

    Hi new friend! I know this is waaayyy late, but I just read this post and while Iโ€™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 youโ€™re not alone! But Iโ€™m glad to know you are excited about planning a wedding with Mr. Dessert for Two!

    xo!

    Michelle

  7. Shirley says:

    Love is not something that you โ€œfall in and out of,โ€ love is a decision. Once you commit your life to that special person, itโ€™s a lifetime commitment. You may not always โ€œfeelโ€ in love, but you just love your spouse because you vowed that you would. Iโ€™ve been married for 31 years and itโ€™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 โ€œgreenโ€ and recycle everything except their most important relationship. Marriages get discarded so easily. If you donโ€™t subscribe to this ideology you will be most likely never have a โ€œlifetime love,โ€ but will only have serial relationships. I canโ€™t imagine anything worse. PS โ€“ Creme brulee is awesome. :)

  8. Jade says:

    I assume the recipe uses real maple syrup and not table syrup? Just wanted to double check before I make it. Thanks!

  9. Kylie Ferguson says:

    Please donโ€™t delete this.
    We are similar in that we worry way to much about everything that โ€œcouldโ€ 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 doesnโ€™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.
    Itโ€™s like having positive hindsight.
    Thanks for that, and for all the incredible small batch dessert recipes.

    1. Kylie Ferguson says:

      P.s. the โ€œplease donโ€™t delete thisโ€ is in reference to your post that you wonder if you should delete this because itโ€™s too personal.

    2. Christina Lane says:

      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 itโ€™s scary re-reading this postโ€ฆthat I almost didnโ€™t do it. That I thought living alone in the country would be better than this current life. Life isnโ€™t perfect, thatโ€™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

  10. Bob Meunier says:

    I donโ€™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 Iโ€™ve ever eaten- and thatโ€™s saying something because I love to cook and bake!