Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée

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This salted caramel crème brûlée recipe is easy to make with a few basic ingredients and features a delicious salted caramel custard with a crispy, crackly sugar topping. Easy to prep up to 3 days in advance if you’d like!

I’ve been dusting off my trusty little kitchen torch to do lots of brûléeing this holiday season. And I have to say, it’s been so much fun. ♡

Custards such as classic French crème brûlée (or the local favorite here in Barcelona, crema catalana) have long been some of my favorite make-ahead desserts for easy entertaining. But when you add in the extra 5 minutes to sprinkle some sugar on top and torch it to crispy, crackly, caramelized perfection just before serving, it instantly kicks everything up a fun and fancy notch. And of course, tastes amazing!

Well lately, I’ve been experimenting with taking the caramel-love one step further by also caramelizing the sugar traditionally used in the base of classic crème brûlée, which adds an extra layer of nutty, sweet, irresistible richness to custard. And when combined with a hint of vanilla, sea salt, cream, and then topped with the crackled brûlée, this dessert is a caramel lover’s dream come true.

It’s so lovely, flavorful, and decadent. And it’s also surprisingly easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients! It’s the perfect dessert for entertaining, since the custards need to be made and chilled at least a few hours in advance. So you can enjoy your meal, then pull out the kitchen torch (or heat up the broiler on your oven) to add a quick brûlée topping just before serving, and then savor each satisfying, crackly, delicious bite. Even the custard-wary friends of ours have absolutely raved about this dessert, so I hope yours will enjoy it too!

Let’s make some crème brûlée!

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3-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Dates

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My favorite bacon-wrapped dates recipe is made with (actually!) crispy bacon, tender Medjool dates, and stuffed with your choice of cheese. Easy to make and always a party favorite!

Bacon-wrapped dates. ♡

I’ve made this 3-ingredient easy appetizer more times than I can count for happy hours, dinner parties, holiday gatherings…you name it. It’s one of those recipes that magically works for just about any occasion and is always guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. And I personally just find that sweet-savory-smoky flavor combo to be perfection. That said, I’ve developed a few opinions over the years about what takes a bacon-wrapped dates recipe from good to GREAT. So today I thought I would pop back in and give my decade-old recipe here a few modern updates!

First off, we’ve all officially gotta commit from now on to taking an extra 10 minutes to pre-cook the bacon before wrapping it around the dates. Otherwise, the bacon never has time to fully cook and crisp up while baking wrapped around the dates (or you end up having to bake the dates so long that the cheese burns or oozes out), which is a tragedy that can easily be avoided. Simply pre-cook the bacon in the oven, or you can cheat and buy that pre-cooked soft bacon that’s available in most stores nowadays.

Second, continuing on with the crispy bacon soapbox, the stuffed dates must be flipped halfway through baking so that each side can get evenly cooked. I’ve experimented with a number of flipping methods over the years and have found it’s simply easiest to poke the toothpick all the way through the date, which makes it easy to grab and quickly turn over.

Third, use a good-quality cheese. You only need a small amount for this recipe, but a richly-flavored cheese makes such a difference in balancing out the flavor of the smoky bacon and sweet dates. I’m partial to a punchy gorgonzola or a tangy goat cheese, but a good feta, Manchego, or even an aged cheddar are also great options here.

Finally, don’t forget to season the dates! I always add a few generous twists of freshly-ground black pepper, and also love sprinkling each date with a tiny a pinch of flaky sea salt for crunch. The perfect finish.

Sound good? Let’s stuff some dates!

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Easy Chocolate Pots de Crème

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This no-bake chocolate pots de crème recipe comes together with just 20 minutes of active prep time and features a silky-smooth chocolate custard topped with amaretto whipped cream. No baking required!

So lovely, so decadent, and so (surprisingly!) simple. ♡

This no-bake chocolate pots de crème recipe has become one of my new favorite make-ahead desserts for easy entertaining. They’re incredibly quick and easy to prep with just 7 basic ingredients. And thanks to a simple stovetop technique, there’s no baking required with this shortcut version of the classic French dessert — just pour the chocolate custard into some cute ramekins, refrigerate until chilled, and serve!

I love topping our chocolate pots de creme with a quick batch of homemade whipped cream, which you’re welcome to spike with a splash of amaretto or bourbon if you’d like. And of course, feel free to add some chocolate shavings, berries, or a sprinkling of nuts as a garnish too. However you serve these luxurious little pots de crème, they’re sure to be a hit!

So grab your favorite bar of chocolat and let’s make a quick batch!

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