It seems like a long time ago when I lived in the quaint little town of Lakefield and found a sweet little restaurant that enticed and intrigued my pallet. Unfortunately, The Riverhouse no longer exists but this is where I found my inspiration for this lavender creme brûlée for two! Chef Carrie wowed me with her delicate floral custard that melted in my mouth. That was the day I fell in love with this French dessert and I knew I had to learn how to make my own!
I’m not sure if my recipe compares to Chef Carrie’s but I am very pleased with how this creme brûlée turned out!
This lavender creme brûlée is the perfect sweet to make for your sweetie for Valentine’s Day or for any day! The recipe makes enough for two, and believe it or not is simple to make. You’ll need a torch to caramelize the sugar on top though, I got my torch from Williams Sonoma, and am very pleased with it!
Ingredients
- Whipping cream
- Granulated sugar
- Organic or culinary lavender buds
- Salt
- Egg yolks
How To Make Lavender Creme Brûlée
Step One: In a saucepan bring 1/2 of the cream, sugar, lavender buds and salt to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat and add the rest of the cream. Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil (this is to make a water bath).
Step Two: In a bowl whisk egg yolks until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the cream mixture while continuously whisking to combine. Continue to add the cream mixture approx. ¼ cup at a time until the custard is smooth and the colour is pale yellow.
Step Three: Place a paper towel on the bottom of a baking dish that’s large enough to hold two ramekins. Set ramekins on the paper towel and fill each ramekin with even amounts of the custard. Pour the boiling water into the dish to come just over halfway up the side of the ramekins.
Step Four: Bake 25-30 minutes or until set but still slightly loose in the centre. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for 2 hours to cool completely or up to 4 days.
Step Five: Sprinkle the top evenly with sugar. Using a chef’s torch or kitchen torch, carefully brown the top to caramelize the sugar until it’s nice and hard.
“The secret ingredient is always love”
Lavender Creme Brûlée for Two
The recipe makes a small batch just for two, which makes it the ideal size for you and your special someone! It’s creamy, light and has the perfect hint of floral with a caramelized top.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 1 cup whipping cream, divided
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon organic or culinary lavender buds
- pinch of salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300˚F.
- In a small saucepan bring 1/2 of the cream, sugar, lavender buds and salt to a simmer over high heat. Remove from heat and let cool for approx. 5 minutes. Add the rest of the cream to further cool the mixture (1/2 cup).
- Meanwhile bring a saucepan or kettle of water to a boil (this is to make a water bath).
- In a medium bowl whisk egg yolks until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the cream mixture while continuously whisking to combine. Continue to add the cream mixture ¼ cup at a time until the custard is smooth and the colour is pale yellow.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a 2 cup measuring cup (this makes it easier to pour your mixture into the ramekins). Discard lavender buds that are caught by the strainer.
- Place a paper towel (this keeps the ramekins from slipping) on the bottom of a small baking pan/dish that’s large enough to hold two ramekins. Set ramekins on the paper towel and fill each ramekin with even amounts of the custard.
- Pour the boiling water into the pan/dish to come just over halfway up the side of the ramekins, being careful not to splash any water into the mixture.
- Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until set but still slightly loose in the centre (baking time will depend on the size of your ramekins). Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Once at room temperature place the ramekins in the refrigerate for 2 hours to cool completely or up to 4 days.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle the top evenly with approx. 1 tablespoon of sugar. Using a chef’s torch or kitchen torch, carefully brown the top to caramelize the sugar. See notes if you don’t have a torch.
Notes
If you don’t have a chef’s torch you can broil the tops. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and arrange the rack in the oven to the highest position. Turn on the broiler and broil for 5 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully and if possible rotate the ramekins with tongs to evenly broil the tops.
You can prepare this dessert well in advance as well, all you need to do the day of is sprinkle the sugar on top of the custard and torch away!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 346
- Sugar: 24.2g
- Sodium: 323mg
- Fat: 25.3g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26.7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5.3g
- Cholesterol: 381mg
FAQ’s
Yes, creme brûlée is a great make ahead dessert, store covered with plastic in the fridge for up to 4 days. You just need to torch the sugar before serving. If you torch the sugar and then store the creme brûlée the tops will go soft.
If you don’t have a chef’s torch you can broil the tops of creme brûlée. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet (only a couple at a time), and arrange the rack in the oven to the highest position. Turn on the broiler and broil for 5 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully and if possible rotate the ramekins with tongs to evenly broil the tops. The tops will harden once the brûlée cools.
Yes, lavender is an herb and edible. There are many varieties of lavender and it’s best to use a culinary lavender as some lavender has oil added to it for a more potent aroma.
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