Description
This Lavender Crème Brûlée recipe is a luxurious twist on the classic French dessert, infused with aromatic culinary lavender and sweetened with honey. Rich, creamy custard is gently baked in a water bath and topped with a delicate caramelized sugar crust, then adorned with homemade whipped cream and dried lavender for an elegant presentation perfect for spring entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 ½ tbsp honey
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 tbsp culinary grade lavender
- pinch of salt
- 6 egg yolks
Topping
- 8 tsp brown sugar for the tops
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the lavender cream: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, honey, scraped vanilla bean seeds plus the pod, culinary lavender, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) while the cream is steeping.
- Whisk egg yolks: In a bowl, whisk together the 6 egg yolks until smooth and slightly thickened. This will serve as the base of your custard.
- Strain cream mixture: Pour the steeped cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a 4-cup Pyrex pitcher to remove lavender and vanilla pod bits. Slowly incorporate this strained cream into the whisked egg yolks while continuously whisking to temper the eggs gently.
- Double strain for smooth custard: Using a clean fine mesh strainer, strain the combined mixture once more into a clean 4-cup Pyrex pitcher. This step ensures an ultra-smooth custard texture.
- Prepare ramekins and roasting pan: Pour the custard evenly into 4-ounce ramekins. Place these ramekins into a roasting pan.
- Add water bath: Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Take care to avoid splashing water into the custards, as this can prevent them from setting properly.
- Bake the custards: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (for 1-inch deep ramekins) or 50 minutes (for 2-inch deep ramekins), until the custards are just set but still jiggle slightly when shaken.
- Cool and refrigerate: Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered overnight to allow the custards to fully set.
- Caramelize sugar topping: When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of brown sugar evenly on top of each custard. Position your oven rack to the highest setting, close to the broiler element, and set the oven to broil. Place ramekins on a flat baking sheet and broil for 10 to 15 seconds until the sugar caramelizes, forming a golden, crisp crust.
- Prepare whipped cream: In a bowl, combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form for a light, fluffy topping.
- Serve: Allow the caramelized tops to cool slightly, then top each crème brûlée with a dollop of the homemade whipped cream. Garnish with dried lavender blossoms for an elegant finish and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure to use culinary grade lavender, which is safe for consumption and imparts a gentle floral flavor.
- Steeping the cream with the vanilla bean pod and lavender allows for deeper infusion of flavor, resulting in a luxurious custard.
- Double straining the custard mixture ensures a silky smooth texture free from any solids.
- Use a water bath to create gentle, even heat to prevent the custard from curdling or cracking.
- Make sure to pour water gently into the roasting pan to avoid splashing the custard; water in custard will prevent proper setting.
- If you don't have a broiler, a kitchen torch can be used to caramelize the sugar topping safely.
- For best results, serve the crème brûlée the day after baking to allow flavors to meld and texture to firm up.
- Store leftover cream and custard mixture refrigerated and use within 24 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin (4 oz)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 34 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
