Method of Preparation:
1. Molds: Arrange 8 6-ounce ramekins in a shallow baking pan large enough so that they dont touch.
2. Infuse the cream: Pour the milk and cream into a 2-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lavender and ginger and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup, pressing down firmly on the herbs to extract all the liquid from the leaves. Add fresh milk if needed to measure 4 cups.
3. Custard: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt until smooth. Stir in the infused cream. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a large pitcher or liquid measuring cup, then pour it into the ramekins, filling them almost to the top. Set the pan on the center oven rack and pour in enough hot tap water to come about one-half inch up the ramekins. Bake the custards until just set but still jiggly, 30-45 minutes. Dont let the custards bubble. The most crucial step is to pull them from the oven at just the right moment, but the baking time can vary greatly depending on the temperature of the custard when it was poured, so check them often. If your oven bakes unevenly, you might need to check each one individually. Refrigerate custards until chilled, at least 2 hours.
4. Caramelized topping: Preheat your oven broiler to high with the oven rack 4-5 inches from the heat source. Just before serving, sprinkle the surface of the custards with a thin layer of turbinado sugar, using about one-half tablespoon for each. Shake the ramekins to even the sugar out. Broil the custards until the sugar caramelizes and turns a deep golden brown, but dont let them blacken. Crème brulee means burnt cream but dont interpret the name literally. Note: You can also caramelize the sugar with a propane or butane torch. Touch the tip of the flame to the sugar and move in a circular motion until the sugar is evenly caramelized.
2 cups whole milk, plus additional 2 tablespoons, if needed
2 cups heavy cream
4 teaspoons fresh lavender buds (or 2 teaspoons dried)
6 one-fourth-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
3 large eggs
5 large egg yolks
Three-fourths cup granulated sugar
One-eighth teaspoon salt
About one-fourth cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the raw)
This article appears in October 2024.