Description
This Lavender Creme Brûlée recipe offers a luxurious and floral twist on the classic French dessert. Infused with culinary lavender and sweet honey, it features a smooth, creamy custard base topped with a perfectly caramelized sugar crust. Finished with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and delicate dried lavender blossoms, this elegant dessert is perfect for spring entertaining or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 ½ tbsp honey
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped of its seeds
- 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
- Infuse Cream: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, honey, vanilla bean seeds and pod, lavender, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Cover and steep for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) to prepare for baking the custards.
- Prepare Egg Yolks: While the cream infuses, whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Strain Cream Mixture: Strain the infused cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a 4-cup Pyrex pitcher to remove lavender and vanilla pod. Slowly pour the warm cream into the whisked egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Second Strain for Smoothness: Using a clean fine mesh strainer, strain the combined custard mixture again into a clean Pyrex pitcher, ensuring an ultra-smooth texture for the custards.
- Fill Ramekins: Pour the smooth custard mixture into 4-ounce ramekins, filling them evenly. Arrange the ramekins in a roasting pan.
- Add Water Bath: Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins, avoiding splashing inside them to prevent custard spoilage.
- Bake Custards: Bake the custards for 30 minutes for shallow ramekins (1-inch deep) or up to 50 minutes for deeper ramekins (2-inch deep), until the custards are mostly set but still jiggle slightly when moved.
- Cool and Refrigerate: Allow the custards to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered overnight to fully set and chill.
- Caramelize Sugar Tops: Just before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of brown sugar evenly over each custard. Position an oven rack on the highest level near the broiler, preheat the broiler, and place the custards on a flat baking sheet. Broil for 10 to 15 seconds or until the sugar melts and caramelizes to a golden crust.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a bowl, whisk together heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Serve: Let the crème brûlées cool slightly. Top each with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and garnish with dried lavender blossoms for a stunning finish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use culinary grade lavender to ensure the flavor is pleasant and safe for eating.
- Be careful not to splash water into the ramekins when adding the water bath as this can affect custard setting.
- For best results, strain the custard mixture twice to achieve ultra-smooth texture.
- Adjust broiling time carefully as sugar can burn quickly under the broiler; watch closely.
- Leftover whipped cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- This dessert is ideal for spring or summer gatherings due to its light, floral profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 209 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
