Jasmine & Yuzu Crème...Jasmine & Yuzu Crème Brûlée with Black Sesame Tuile

A refined French-Japanese fusion classic featuring silky jasmine-infused custard, bright yuzu gelée, and a crisp, nutty black sesame tuile.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the jasmine tea leaves, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes to infuse.

2. 02

   Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing the tea leaves gently to extract all flavor. Whisk the egg yolks and 60g of the granulated sugar in a separate bowl until pale and slightly thickened.

3. 03

   Slowly pour the warm jasmine cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper. Strain the custard base through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve into a pouring pitcher.

4. 04

   Preheat your oven to 120°C (250°F). Place four shallow ramekins into a deep baking pan. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

5. 05

   Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still gently jiggle. Remove the ramekins from the water bath, let them cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

6. 06

   For the yuzu gelée: Bloom the gelatin sheet in ice-cold water for 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, gently warm the yuzu juice, 30 ml of water, and the remaining 20g of granulated sugar until dissolved. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin, stir it into the warm yuzu mixture until melted, then pour into a plastic wrap-lined shallow dish. Chill until set, then dice into tiny 5mm cubes.

7. 07

   For the black sesame tuiles: Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg white, powdered sugar, and flour until smooth. Fold in the black sesame seeds. Spread the batter paper-thin onto a silicone baking mat in artistic, organic shapes. Bake for 6-8 minutes until crisp, then cool completely on a wire rack.

8. 08

   To assemble: Sprinkle a thin, even layer of turbinado sugar over each chilled custard. Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen blowtorch until it forms a deep golden, glassy crust. Let it sit for 1 minute to harden.

9. 09

   Garnish each crème brûlée with several cubes of yuzu gelée, a shard of black sesame tuile standing upright in the caramelized crust, and micro-edible flowers. Serve immediately.