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The debated origin of Crème brûlée (or shall I say Trinity Cream?)   Most people think that the credit for Crème brûlée, the classic dish of smooth custard with a caramelised sugar topping, belongs to the French. Well, let us assure you that contrary to the public opinion, this famous pudding is actually of British origin.. The most used name of this pudding is French but culinary experts generally agree that Crème brûlée actually originated in England. Trinity College in Cambridge contends to be the first producer of the dessert in the 17th century. They called it Cambridge Burnt Cream or Trinity Cream and the college crest was even impressed on top of the cream with a branding iron! The Random House Dictionary of the English Language traces the first printed appearance of Crème brûlée to 1885. That is however a translation of the English term ‘burnt cream’. It is safe to say that as 'burnt cream' the dish originated in England where, according to English food authority Jane Grigson, recipes for the dish appeared in 17th century cookbooks. It was not until the 19th century that the French translation of burnt cream came into popular culture, causing many to believe that the dessert is uniquely French in origin. It is refreshing to read old cookbooks and discover the many versions of Trinity Cream; sometimes it was made with gooseberry or raspberry fool instead of custard. Trinity Cream is a versatile dish even today and you can spice it up with pretty much anything that comes to mind; chocolate, orange, lavender or even Pina Colada. Hardly an invention that changed the world, but it is a British one. The Mercer’s recipe for Trinity Cream, serves 6 people:  500 ml double cream 110 g mascarpone 55 g caster sugar 8 medium sized egg yolks ½ vanilla pod (split lengthways and seeds removed) Our easy to follow instructions: 1. Whisk together sugar, mascarpone and vanilla seeds until the mix is smooth 2. Slowly whisk in the egg yolks 3. Add the double cream and whisk until the cream has combined with the rest of the mixture 4. pour into a ramekin and place in a roasting tin half-filled with warm water and bake at 130 C for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is set but not coloured 5. If you wish to add for instance berries or chocolate flakes to personalise your dish you should add them to the ramekins before pouring in the cream mixture 6. Chill for a minimum of two hours 7. Cover with a thin layer of caster sugar and burn with a blow torch. Serve immediately

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