Pastry Chefs Take Char to Deeper Depths

For classics like crème brûlée and bananas Foster, the final hit of flame only scorches the surface. But some pastry chefs are adding fuel to the fire by burning spices, aromatics, sugar and even artichokes to add subtly charred layers to ice cream, cupcakes, truffles and more.

At Chicago’s Blackbird, pastry chef Dana Cree has included charred artichoke in one of her more unusual desserts. Cree...