# No Blow Torch Brûlée Hack

A hack to get that perfect caramelized sugar topping without a blowtorch, suitable for lemon possets, creme brûlée, doughnuts, and other puddings.

- Total time: 20 min
- Cuisine: French
- Category: Dessert
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 2 parts Sugar
- 1 part Water
- 0.5 teaspoon Vinegar
- Cardamom pods
- Cloves
- Cinnamon stick
- Black tea bags
- Cardamom flavored evaporated milk

## Instructions

1. To make the caramelized sugar topping, combine two parts sugar with one part water in a pot.
2. Add half a teaspoon of vinegar to the pot; do not mix or touch the mixture.
3. Heat the mixture on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or until it turns amber.
4. Once the sugar turns amber, remove it from the heat and allow the foam to settle.
5. Pour the caramel over your pudding and swirl to cover the top.
6. Keep the pot with remaining caramel on a low heat to keep it liquid if more is needed.
7. Wait a few minutes for the sugar to turn hard before cracking into it.
8. To clean the pot and make caramel chai, add cardamom pods, cloves, a cinnamon stick, and black tea bags to the pot with residual sugar.
9. Fill the pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
10. Add your milk of choice, such as cardamom-flavored evaporated milk, to the boiling tea.
11. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and strain the chai.
12. Taste and adjust the sweetness, adding more sugar if needed, then serve.

## Equipment

- Pot
- Spoon
- Strainer
- Mug
- Cling film

## Tips

- To prevent crystallization, add a small amount of vinegar to the sugar and water mixture.
- Do not mix or touch the sugar mixture while it is heating; let it caramelize on its own.
- To keep the caramel hard for a long time, cover the pudding with cling film to keep air out.
- If decorating with fruit, do it just before serving, as moisture melts sugar.
- For cleaning the pot, you can either dissolve the sugar in water and pour it down the drain, or use it to make caramel chai.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH_b5nfIxBN/?igsh=MW9yNDR6amdkbGg4Zw==
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/2e751889-e476-43f0-9f28-24184a335c07
- Extracted: 2025-08-14

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt