Lavender in crème brûlée is a classic addition, conjuring summer in Provence.
A light hand is best, as you want a waft of evocative herby-floral scent. Raspberries shelter beneath the blanket of custard and the crackling sugar shell, offering bursts of sharpness and contrast.
Spice Switch: Floral flavours are lovely here. Infuse the cream with ground saffron or rose geranium leaves. Or skip the infusion and flavour with flower waters or classic vanilla extract to taste.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the cream and lavender flowers in a small pan and heat slowly up to a simmer then set aside to infuse for half an hour. Strain and return to the pan.
- Sit four small heatproof ramekins in a deep baking tin and put five raspberries in each. Heat the oven to 160°C.
- In a bowl, stir together the egg yolks and 25 g of the sugar. Heat the cream again until a ring of tiny bubbles forms around the edge. Slowly trickle the hot cream into the yolks, stirring constantly.
- Divide the mixture into the ramekins then poke down the raspberries to cover them. Fill the baking tin with tap-hot water, to about two-thirds of the way up the ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the custard is set with a delicate quiver. Allow to cool, then chill in the fridge.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops of the four brûlées and use a blowtorch or hot grill to melt and caramelise the tops.
