Cardamom and Rosewater Infused Crème Brûlée

If there’s a crème brulee on the menu, chances are I’m going to order it. That or melt in the middle chocolate puddings… or zabaglione… or… now I’m just thinking about pudding. Back to the pud in question. Velvety creaminess under an ice rink of melted and cooled sugar, the simplicity of crème brulee is perhaps what makes them so popular on the menus of restaurants around the world. This variation however, from Gizzi’s Kitchen Magic, is anything but run of the mill. Delicately infused with cardamom and rose water, this dessert is different without being too out there, and was the perfect excuse to crack out the rose water that’s been lurking at the back of my cupboard since Christmas.

Slightly Adapted From ‘Gizzi’s Kitchen Magic’

Serves 4 (or 8 if you use old GU ramekins like me)

570ml double cream

6 egg yolks

5 cardamom pods

7 tbsp golden caster sugar

2 tbsp rosewater

1tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat the cream and the cardamom really slowly in a small pan until little bubbles begin to appear round the edge. Meanwhile, mix with the egg yolks with 3 tbsp on the sugar in a bowl. Remove the pods from the cream and then quickly whisk the cream into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla extract and rosewater and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 140C and divide the custard between the ramekins. Lay a piece of kitchen paper in the bottom of a roasting tray/tin (that has high sides). Boil the kettle and add enough of the water to fill the tray to half way up the sides of the ramekins. Place on the lowest shelf in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes, checking about 5 minutes before the end of cooking, they should be a wobbly loose jelly. Don’t worry, they will set in the fridge.
3. Remove from the oven, and remove the ramekins from the tray, and leave to cool for half an hour, before putting in the fridge for at least two hours.
4. When you come to serve the crème brulees, sprinkle the remaining 4 tbsp of sugar over the top of each, and then, using a blow torch or very hot grill, heat the sugar until it turns golden brown. Keep a close eye as they can burn very quickly. Allow the sugar to set (on my second attempt I actually put my crème brulees back in the fridge for an hour or so to set again, as I like the creamy part to be cold, but you’re more then welcome to serve immediately).

Culinary Know How: FRESHER

Budget: UNDER £4

Kitchen Requirements: 4 RAMEKINS, DEEP ROASTING TIN, COOLING RACK, PAPER TOWELL, SMALL SAUCEPAN, BOWL.