Lavender Crème Brûlée: A Floral Twist on a Classic

Crème brûlée is a classic dessert that’s surprisingly simple to make at home. This version adds a subtle floral note by infusing the cream with culinary lavender, creating an elegant twist on the traditional vanilla version. The key is letting the lavender steep in the hot cream mixture to extract its delicate flavor without becoming overwhelming.

The Recipe

This recipe makes 4 servings in standard ramekins.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons culinary lavender buds
• 4 large egg yolks
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar (for the caramelized top)

Equipment

• Medium saucepan
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Whisk
• 4 ramekins (6-8oz each)
• Baking dish large enough to hold ramekins
• Kitchen torch (or broiler)

Method

1. Infuse the cream: In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and lavender buds. Heat over medium heat until just simmering (small bubbles around the edges). Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.

2. Strain and reheat: Strain the cream through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the lavender buds to extract all flavor. Discard the lavender. Reheat the cream until just simmering.

3. Prepare custard: While cream is heating, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until pale and thick. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture, then stir in vanilla extract.

4. Bake: Place ramekins in a baking dish. Pour custard mixture into ramekins, filling each about ¾ full. Add hot water to the baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes, until edges are set but centers still jiggle slightly.

5. Chill: Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.

6. Caramelize: Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, or place under a broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Serving Notes

Serve immediately after caramelizing the sugar. The contrast between the cool custard and warm caramelized top is part of the experience.

Recipe Notes

• Culinary lavender buds are essential - regular lavender may contain pesticides
• The steeping time can be adjusted: longer for stronger flavor, shorter for more subtle notes
• If the lavender flavor is too strong, reduce the steeping time to 20 minutes
• Custards can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator
• For a more intense lavender flavor, you can add a few drops of lavender extract to the custard mixture

Variations

Lavender-Honey: Replace 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar with honey Lavender-Lemon: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the custard mixture Lavender-Vanilla Bean: Split and scrape a vanilla bean into the cream during infusion