Lavender Latte Creme Brûlée

It’s well in to summertime and it’s getting pretty hot around here, but it’s also been raining a lot which makes me enjoy it a lot more. I really love the rain and I always feel more productive when it’s raining. But it’s also been getting me into the fall mindset.

It might seem a little premature, but I’m already starting to think about fall recipes. I have recipes from January to December all planned out, but I’m always the most excited about fall. I usually start releasing fall things mid August, and then I focus on spooky things in October. November I dedicate to Thanksgiving and fall recipes and then December is for the holidays. September through December are my busiest months, but also my favorite.

But I have to keep reminding myself to stay in the present because I have a million things to catch up on. For example, this recipe was supposed to be published yesterday but I ended up running out of time to properly edit it so I pushed it back to today. But at least it’s getting published!

I feel like I’ve made a lot of creme brûlée on this blog, and possibly too much. I’ve made pumpkin, coffee, and gingerbread latte flavored creme brûlée. Plus I have another one planned for August. But I feel like it’s such a fun versatile dessert that most everyone loves.

Describe this Dessert to Me

Taste: If you’ve ever had a lavender latte, this creme brûlée tastes very similar with delicate lavender and warming espresso, plus the addition of bittersweet burnt sugar shards. It all blends wonderfully to create the perfect balance between the sweetness and all the different flavors.
Texture: Like any good creme brûlée, the custard is smooth and creamy while the sugar on top is perfectly crisp and crunchy. The custard stays cold when served, but the sugar on top is warm which creates a perfect contrast.
Ease: This version of creme brûlée is no more difficult than the classic vanilla. It does still involve making a custard by tempering eggs and cooking it in a water bath which many people find a little tricky. But with practice and patience, I think this recipe is actually a lot simpler than it seems.

Lavender and Coffee?

I think this flavor combination has grown a lot in popularity in the last few years, but if you’ve never tried it I highly recommend. It sounds a bit odd, but the delicate and fresh floral notes from the lavender mix so perfectly with the bittersweet coffee, buttery cream, and sweet vanilla. And with the addition of that sharp caramelized sugar on top, these flavors really work well together.

Lavender Latte Creme Brûlée

Perfect for summer this take on creme brûlée takes the classic French dessert and adds delicate lavender and bittersweet coffee for a new and exciting flavor. The custard is smooth, creamy, and flavorful, while the sugar topping is perfectly crisp and adds a bittersweet touch. This is the perfect dessert to try this summer to challenge your baking skills!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Servings: 6 ramekins

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 5 large egg yolks
• ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
• 1 ½ Tablespoons espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 ½ Tablespoons dried culinary lavender

Method

 

Make the custard

1. In a large heat proof bowl (or a large liquid measuring cup) whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 325℉. Place 6 ramekins in a large baking dish. The baking dish should be deep enough to hold about 2 inches of water. We will bake these in a water bath so begin bringing a large pot of water to a boil (I use a tea kettle).
3. In a large saucepan, whisk together the cream and lavender. Bring to a simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, remove from the heat and run the cream through a metal strainer and into a large liquid measuring cup to remove and discard the lavender. Pour the cream back into the saucepan through the sieve to remove any remaining lavender and place the saucepan back over medium heat.
4.  Take out roughly ½ cup of the hot cream and slowly and steadily stream it into the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly. Then, slowly and steadily stream that mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm cream, whisking to combine.
5. Pour the custard back into the liquid measuring cup, through a sieve one last time to remove any remaining lavender.
6. Divide the mixture between the 6 ramekins in the baking dish. Pour the hot water from step #2 into the baking dish, being careful not to spill any in the custards. You will want an even layer of water, about 1 ½ inches deep.

Bake

1. Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 170°F when inserted into the middle of one of the custards. Oven times vary, so I recommend checking at the 30 minute mark. The sides will have set a little, but the center will still be jiggly. The tops will have developed a thin layer on top, and might have bubbles.
2. Using gloves or a towel, carefully move the custards from the water bath and place on a wire cooling rack to cool for 1 hour. Then, chill the custards for 4 hours in the refrigerator loosely covered with cling wrap. 

Brûlée

1. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar in an even layer on top of each of the custards. Use a kitchen torch to evenly toast the sugared tops of the creme brûlée. The sugar will turn golden and melt into a smooth and even layer, which will almost instantly harden. To ensure the sugar doesn’t burn, angle the torch slightly so that it isn’t hitting a small area with a full blast of heat. Be very careful doing this step to make sure nothing burns.
2. Serve immediately. The un-torched custard will last up to three days in the fridge.