For the Best Grilled Cheese of Your Life, Add This to the Bread (Selena Gomez Approved!)

A grilled cheese sandwich is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. It’s simple, takes virtually no time to make, and is delicious every time. Pair it with a bowl of warm tomato soup, and you’ve got the ultimate no-frills meal for a cold winter night. 

However, as perfect as the humble grilled cheese is on its own, I’m always down to level it up. Late last year, I was amazed at the difference a smear of Tillamook’s Butternaise could make. (Both the crunch and added flavor were out of this world.) But that’s not the only thing you can spread on the outside of the bread.

I recently came across a recipe for crème brûlée grilled cheese on Instagram. The video went so viral that even Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez have given it the stamp of approval. I was curious to see what the hype was about, so I set off to make it for myself — and it exceeded my expectations.

Get the recipe: Crème Brûlée Grilled Cheese 

To start, you need the basics: two slices of bread and your favorite cheese. (I used sourdough and Tillamook’s sharp cheddar.) For the crème brûlée spread, mix together a 2:1 ratio of melted butter and sugar (more on this below).

Smear the butter-sugar mixture on one side of one slice of bread, spreading it evenly across the entire surface. Then, place the bread butter-side down in a preheated pan over low heat. Add the cheese on top and allow it to cook until it’s caramelized and toasted, and the cheese has melted. Then, place the second slice of bread on top, and smear on the remaining butter mixture. Flip it and cook the other side so it’s also caramelized and golden-brown. Remove the sandwich from the pan, let cool, then dig in. 

I could hardly wait to dig into this sandwich — it looked SO good as it was cooking. I could even audibly hear the crust on the bread as I flipped it with the spatula, and I could see the caramel forming. Once it finally cooled, I took a bite and WOW was I impressed. 

This is a whole other realm of grilled cheese heaven! It had a beautiful golden color on the outside of the bread, which cracked as I bit through that caramelized layer — the same way a traditional crème brûlée would. The taste itself reminded me of a Werther’s caramel. Then I got the salty-sharp cheddar cheese, mixed with the buttery goodness and slight tang of the sourdough. 

It felt like a totally indulgent treat (because it kinda tastes like dessert!). It’s the ultimate mash-up of sweet, savory, salty, and crunchy. Because it’s so rich and decadent, it’s something I’ll only make every once in a while — but I’ll certainly savor each bite every time I do.

• Patience is key: Low and slow is the name of the game, as you don’t want the sugar to burn. 
• Use a nonstick pan: You’re basically making a caramel on the exterior of the bread, and it gets messy as it cooks, so use a nonstick pan for easier cleanup. Also, be sure not to touch it with your hands, as sugar at these temperatures is extremely hot and can burn you easily! Similarly, let it cool before digging in. 
• Play around with the butter-to-sugar ratio: The instructions in the Reel weren’t clear on which was which for the 2:1 ratio. I initially thought it was 2 parts butter to 1 part sugar, but after looking at the consistency on the first slice, I added a bit more sugar so it was more paste-like and less liquidy when spreading on the bread. 

Get the recipe: Crème Brûlée Grilled Cheese 

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: For the Best Grilled Cheese of Your Life, Add This to the Bread (Selena Gomez Approved!)