Gluten Free

To produce the delightful hard surface that crackles when tapped with a spoon, you will need to brown the sugared tops with a small kitchen blowtorch, available at most specialty stores.

Wide and shallow 9-ounce molds are perfect for crème brûlée because they provide ample surface area, ensuring a bit of crunchy topping in every bite. You’ll need five of them for this recipe. Ten 4-ounce ramekins can be used instead; reduce the sugar topping for each custard to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and add 10 minutes to the baking time, as the custards are deeper.

For individual servings, divide the pudding among six 6-ounce ramekins; reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Use red-fleshed papayas, such as Sunrise Solo or Maradol. Be sure to ask your grocer which ones will have flesh with a rosy hue since a papaya’s skin and shape may not be a good indication of its interior color.

Extra sauce may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Freshly shaved coconut makes a lovely garnish; you could also sprinkle some shredded packaged coconut over the top.

In Italian gelato shops, stracciatella describes an ice cream that has chocolate mixed into it—as our recipe does.