Here's How Ina Garten Prepares Crème Brûlée In Advance

Veteran chef Ina Garten, also known as The Barefoot Contessa, is an inspiring culinary genius who makes sure that her fans get access to some of her favorite recipes whenever possible — in fact, she's often on social media sharing her tips and tricks as a way to feel connected with people. 

For example, as noted by CheatSheet, Garten took it upon herself to share some special dessert recipes during the pandemic to make people "feel better." Her picks were also inclusive of every skill level in the kitchen — from those just starting out (the beginner peach pie) to the more experienced home cooks that are able to play around with more complex instructions like making a French apple tart — so that everyone could get their chance to bake something special. 

Her idea definitely worked, as seen in how excited Garten's fans were, with many asking her expert advice on some of the recipes — but it was her tip for preparing crème brûlée in advance that really stood out.

A fan asked The Barefoot Contessa whether it's possible to make a classic dessert such as crème brûlée a few days in advance (via Ina Garten's website.) The chef responded that she often does do this herself and has a simple trick to achieve the results she's always looking for: "The custard can definitely be made ahead. I would make the custard, wrap each crème brûlée individually, and then add [the] sugar and brûlée [to] the tops just before serving." See, easy!

Ina Garten has more useful advice for those looking to perfect crème brûlée at home. She says that you don't need to worry if you don't have a blowtorch on hand; rather, you can achieve similar results with the broiler instead. But she advises home chefs to keep a close eye on the dessert while doing so and adds, "Depending on the broiler, you may have to move the crème brûlées around so the sugar caramelizes evenly."