I have a weakness for creme brulee. I make it quite regularly but stick to my usual recipe. This time I have been both inspired by a new Creme Brulee vendor in the Crossroads Farmers Market and wanting to change things up a bit.
Recently I attended the Duchess Bake Shop’s Calgary Cookbook Launch Party. We were able to meet the creators of the Edmonton Bakery, sample some of their amazing baked yummies (is that a word?), purchase their cookbook, and we all left with a goodie bag. In my bag was a jar of French Lavender.
Inspiration comes from everywhere where food is concerned. With an abundance of BC Blueberries in the store (and my fridge) I knew the berries and the French Lavender were the two ingredients I wanted in my creme brulee. Had company coming into town so I had the perfect excuse to recipe test this combination. According to my brother in law, I nailed it.
Creme Brulee is not so hard to make, you can do this! Here’s how.
- 3½ cups of heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 1½ cup of white sugar
- 1 tsp lavender (heaping tsp)
- ⅛ tsp of vanilla
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Preheat oven to 300 and arrange your jars or ramekins in a large baking pan.
- Add approximately 10-15 blueberries to each jar/ramekin.
- Fill your kettle with water & turn it on.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine the cream, ¾ cup of sugar, lavender, and vanilla. Stir to dissolve the sugar and heat cream to just under boiling (bubbles form around outside edge of cream). Remove from heat and set aside.
- While cream is heating whisk egg yolks together in a large bowl.
- Gradually add about ¼ cup of the hot cream to the yolks, whisking constantly, then slowly add the remaining hot cream and stir to fully combine.
- Strain the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl.
- Carefully ladle or pour the custard into the jars/ramekins, filling them about ⅔rds full.
- Place the baking pan on oven rack and carefully pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the jars/ramekins.
- Bake until the edges have set but the center still jiggles when the ramekin is gently shaken, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the water bath and let cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Put lids on jars or cover ramekins with wrap/foil and place in fridge until ready to serve.
- When ready to eat sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of sugar evenly on each custard jar.
- Use a kitchen blowtorch or the broiler to evenly melt and caramelize the sugar.
- Serve immediately.
