Another word for upper crust

The surface soil of Berar is to a great extent a rich black vegetable mould; and where this surface soil does not exist, there are muram and trap with a shallow upper crust of inferior light soil.

aspersion at the upper-crust, middle elite (?

The servants sat down to their meal at a later time to the ' upper crust ' .

The exiles among whom Ezekiel lived, like him, had come from the upper crust of Judean society.

Or, for a simple and sophisticated party, choose upper crust desserts, such as French pastries.