Okay, what kind of New Year’s resolutions did you make? I pledges to do fewer desserts. But that means each one has to count, really count, really be exceptional. From The Lemon Cookbook by Ellen Jackson, this is just such an outstanding dessert.
There is nothing so pleasantly visceral and that first push of the spoon through the crisps sugar crust of a crème brulee. And then there is the custard. The custard must be absolutely Paris-class smooth. Pure vanilla can be grand for sure, but here lemon, lavender and honey are employed to provide perfume. This will be one those exceptional desserts that I can have once a week.
Well, one night a week, when I have two of these.
Do make this dish with a careful hand. The lemon zest, honey, and surely that lavender can overpower. Ellen is professional writer and chef so her starting point here, the relative proportions, is an excellent benchmark for you.
Proceed with delicacy. Remember, you can always do it over and over again.
Lemon Crème Brulee with Lavender and Honey
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped lemon zest (from 3 medium lemons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lavender flowers (or 4 teaspoons dried)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 yolks
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus additional for caramelizing
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the cream, honey, lemon zest, lavender, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, cover, and remove from the heat. Steep 10 minutes and taste the cream to determine if the lemon and lavender flavors are balanced and to your liking. When they are, strain the mixture, discard the zest and lavender, and return the cream to the pot. If it has cooled completely, warm the cream over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and egg together with the sugar until smooth. Slowly add some of the warm cream to the yolks, about ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from curdling.
After adding 1 cup of cream, pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the pan with the remaining cream. Add the vanilla and strain the mixture into another container to cool in an ice bath for baking later or divide it between 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or glass custard cups.
Arrange the dishes in a deep baking pan and fill the pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Put the baking pan in the oven and bake until the custard is set around edges and slightly jiggly in the center, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the custards to cool before covering with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator to cool completely, 3 hours to overnight.
Bet before serving, sprinkle the top of each custard with a thin, even coating of sugar. Place the dishes under a preheated broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar melts, or use a hand-held blowtorch to caramelize the sugar.
Source: The Lemon Cookbook by Ellen Jackson [Sasquatch Books, 2015]