Crème Brûlée Torches

A crème brûlée torch is, for us, a lighter with a jet flame, and that is exactly the same device. A focused blue flame running on butane gas caramelises the sugar in a few seconds without the custard underneath getting warm.

What it comes down to is dosing. Too hot and the sugar burns black, too gentle and the ramekin warms up before the crust is there.

An ordinary lighter with a yellow flame burns too wide and leaves soot. That is why the edge of the ramekin is already brown while the middle is still white. A jet flame is blown out under pressure, burns clean and puts the heat on a small area, so you decide where the crust forms. You then work from the outside in and keep the flame moving.

This category holds torches with one jet flame and with four, from a small model you hold in your hand to a heavier one that stays standing on the worktop. All refillable with butane gas.

Caramelising sugar is the best-known job, but the same torch sears meat, blackens a pepper and lights the barbecue. If you mainly want it for the kitchen, have a look at the kitchen torches as well; if you use it more widely, the heavier models are with the gas torches.

When comparing, look at the number of flames, whether the flame is adjustable and how big the gas tank is. Which models are handiest for what is in the 5 best crème brûlée torches.