Smoked Honey & Lavender...Smoked Honey & Lavender Crème Brûlée

A sophisticated twist on a French classic, featuring wild lavender-infused cream and the deep, complex notes of oak-smoked honey, topped with a crunchy Marcona almond soil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, lavender buds, and both the seeds and pod of the vanilla bean.

2. 02

   Bring the cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then immediately remove from heat. Cover and allow to infuse for 15 minutes to extract the floral and aromatic notes.

3. 03

   In a large heat-proof glass bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the smoked honey until the mixture is pale, smooth, and slightly thickened.

4. 04

   Slowly pour the warm cream through a fine-mesh sieve into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Discard the spent lavender and vanilla pod.

5. 05

   Place four 6-ounce ceramic ramekins in a deep baking dish. Divide the custard evenly among them. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins to create a bain-marie.

6. 06

   Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly jiggly like gelatin. Remove ramekins from the water bath, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).

7. 07

   For the almond soil: Pulse the Marcona almonds, chilled butter, and sea salt in a food processor until it resembles coarse, wet sand. Briefly toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Let cool completely.

8. 08

   Just before serving, blot any moisture off the custard tops. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar over each. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until a deep amber, glass-like crust forms. Garnish the side with a neat line of the almond soil.