What is the difference between Creme Brulee, Creme Caramel and Creme Tart?

Crème tart - not a term usually used in UK. In the USA it seems to be a tart with a cream and/or custard filling (as the name implies!) and often berries.

Brûée - 'burned' in French. A custard set in a ramekin with top 'burned' or caramelised - either under a grill or with a blow torch. You sprinkle sugar on top after the custard is set and then caramelise it to a crisp shell.

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Creme Caramel. A custard which is usually made in dariole moulds or ramekins. The base of the mould has a layer of liquid caramel. Custard is poured on top. When the custard is set the mould is inverted to turn it out so the caramel ends up on top.

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The creme caramel is also known as flan in Latin cuisine.

I've never heard of a creme tart. We have cream pies, i.e. chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, caramel, but they are in pastry pie crusts, not tart pans.
 
medtran49 said:
I've never heard of a creme tart. We have cream pies, i.e. chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, caramel, but they are in pastry pie crusts, not tart pans.
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I only assumed it might be American because when I googled it it seemed to throw up recipes from American website - but far as I know its not classic terminology.
 
I do the brûlée described as burnt way with eggs vanilla sugar milk and cream. I've tried doing the caramel way.....never set, not trying again. I'm happy with brûlée. Served with a scoop vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis. Sprig of mint for decoration.

Russ
 
The top and bottom are the difference.

Brulee is a just a custard with a simply melted/browned sugar crust on top.

A caramel is a custard bottom, topped with a creamier sugar coat on top.

A tart has a pastry on the bottom, filled with custard, topped with with a crust of melted sugar. I guess you could do a caramel as well.
 
The creme caramel or flan base starts out as hard caramelized sugar. Some people mix sugar with water and cook it to the liquid caramel state. I prefer just heating up the sugar until it liquifies and turns golden brown, then pouring it into the baking dish(es), where it solidifies. I would have to guess @rascal 's recipe had something wrong with it since creme brulee has been successful as they are basically the same thing.
 
I disagree that a creme caramel and creme brulee are basically the same thing - they are a both a vanilla custard but they have a very different texture. Creme caramel is usually quite firmly set with a jellified consistency and a definite wobble, whereas a good creme brulee has a very soft creamy silky texture and whilst its set, it should only be just enough to hold together. Also in creme caramel you get some caramel flavour blending into the custard part but in creme brulee this shouldn't happen.

They also have different recipes: a creme caramel uses milk and whole eggs, whereas a creme brulee generally uses cream, and only the egg yolks.
 
They are still both a vanilla custard, as you wrote; thus, basically the same...
 
MrsDangermouse said:
they are a both a vanilla custard but they have a very different texture. Creme caramel is usually quite firmly set with a jellified consistency and a definite wobble, whereas a good creme brulee has a very soft creamy silky texture and whilst its set, it should only be just enough to hold together.
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This is quite true. Its a fine dividing line and plenty of people probably make both with similar mixes. But in French classical cooking they are different recipes as you indicate. But yes they are both vanilla custard @medtran49!
 
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MrsDangermouse said:
I disagree that a creme caramel and creme brulee are basically the same thing - they are a both a vanilla custard but they have a very different texture. Creme caramel is usually quite firmly set with a jellified consistency and a definite wobble, whereas a good creme brulee has a very soft creamy silky texture and whilst its set, it should only be just enough to hold together. Also in creme caramel you get some caramel flavour blending into the custard part but in creme brulee this shouldn't happen.

They also have different recipes: a creme caramel uses milk and whole eggs, whereas a creme brulee generally uses cream, and only the egg yolks.
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Thank you. I've been looking for an answer to this. I'm wondering if I can make the creme brulee custard with the creme caramel topping. I didn't know for sure that the custards are different.
 
Mrs. P said:
Thank you. I've been looking for an answer to this. I'm wondering if I can make the creme brulee custard with the creme caramel topping. I didn't know for sure that the custards are different.
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The problem would be that because the a crème brûlée is a soft creamy texture and not as firmly set as a crème caramel it would not be possible to turn it out so it held its shape. The topping on a crème caramel is in the base of the mould and becomes the topping when its turned out.
 
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