Recently my brother brought me back some culinary lavender from his holiday in the South of France and, opening the tin, I was transported straight to sunny Provence. To capture its essence in the kitchen, you can infuse lavender in dairy products – and so I thought up this idea for a lavender crème brûlée, perfect for the end of the hungry gap when we might be craving sunnier flavours. It has just the right hint of floral, and the creaminess is balanced by the crunch of the topping. To make them, you will need:
20g caster
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp dried culinary lavender
275ml cream
100ml milk
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling.
Preheat the oven to 140C Fan. Heat the cream and lavender in a saucepan over a low heat until just starting to boil. Set aside to infuse for 30 minutes. Combine the caster sugar and eggs in a bowl. Bring the cream to just before the boil again and pour over the egg yolks, stirring constantly.
Pour into 3 small or 2 large greased ramekins and place in a large roasting tin. Pour in water until half way up side of the ramekins. Cook for around 15 mins until set but with a slight wobble.
Chill in the fridge until stone cold. A few hours before you are ready to serve them, sprinkle the tops with Demerara sugar then pop under the grill until melted and golden brown, around fifteen minutes (watch them). Chill for a few hours and serve.
Recipe by me