A crackling sugar topping. Silky smooth vanilla custard. There is something so special in the experience of eating a creme brulee. If you’re already going through the effort of making this dessert for friends and family (or yourself), why not bring it to the next level? When you’re creating that custard, simply add cardamom and then grate in orange zest once it simmers. Those flavours will infuse into your base to create an out-of-this-world cardamom and orange creme brulee.
What are some common creme brulee mistakes?
Make sure you avoid these common mistakes when making your creme brulee:
- Choosing the wrong ramekin. While a deeper ramekin works great for dishes like a soufflé, you should avoid that here. For a creme brulee, you want your cooking vessel to be shallow, which helps the custard cook evenly.
- Using the whole egg. The soft and silky texture of the custard is achieved by only using the yolks. Egg whites contain protein, which will coagulate in the heat and cause your custard to have a sturdier texture.
- Forgetting the water bath (bain-marie). The water bath is a cooking method of gently cooking your dish inside a pot of simmering water. In this case, a water bath ensures your custard will cook evenly without cracking on top.
- Putting granulated sugar on top. Due to its size, it can be hard to melt evenly. This cardamom and orange creme brulee recipe calls for brown sugar, which complements the warm flavour infusions in the custard.
Crème Brûlée With Orange and Cardamom
This is an elegant twist on the classic crème brûlée. The combination of vanilla, cardamom, and
orange zest is a true delight.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 240 ml whole milk
- 1 cup 240 ml heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 large orange for zesting
- 5 medium egg yolks
- ¼ cup 50 g caster sugar
- ¼ cup 50 g brown or caster sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk, cream, vanilla, and cardamom. Heat over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat, then grate in the orange zest. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C) on the convection setting. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until the mixture turns pale. Add the milk-cream mixture and mix well. Remove any pale foam from the top of the liquid.
- Pour the mixture into six 4-inch (10 cm) ramekins that are 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall, filling each one three-quarters full.
- Place the ramekins on a baking tray or in a roasting pan and pour boiling water around them to cover three quarters of the ramekins and to create a water bath (bain-marie). Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cream is set; shake the ramekins: if the cream slightly jiggles in the center but not at the edges, they are done. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Right before serving, sprinkle brown sugar over the tops and caramelize the crèmes brûlées with a culinary torch or under the oven broiler for a few minutes.
Notes
Make-ahead: You can prepare these crèmes brûlées a day or two in advance, but don’t caramelize the sugar topping until right before serving; otherwise, it will lose its crunch.
