Crème Brûlée a la Lavande (Lavender Crème Brûlée)

Crème Brûlée is a French term for what the English refer to as Burnt Cream. It is very popular, so much that we continue to teach the recipe to our happy students in the French Desserts Class! 

 

Ingredients:

2 Cups cream 

1⁄4 Cup 2%-4% milk 

6 large egg yolks 

2 Tablespoons dried lavender 

120 g (4 oz.) sugar

Procedure:

Heat the cream and milk with the lavender, simmer 5 minutes. Beat the egg yolks with the white sugar, just till combined. Strain cream then pour slowly while beating into eggs. 

Ladle into crème brulée ramekins, place them in a pan with rims high enough to contain 1/8 inch water, and place on lower rack of oven at 250 F (120 C). 

Before closing oven door, pour hot water from tea kettle into the baking pan around the ramekins, about 1/8 inch deep. 

Bake 25 - 30 minutes, watching closely to avoid overcooking (bubbling) or browning. When just set, remove from oven and cool, then refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. 

Cover each with 1 T. sugar just before caramelizing, and brown surface with propane torch. Optionally serve with some tart berries.