I think dessert would have to be my favourite meal of the day. Maybe not the healthiest, but definitely the most enjoyable. I am always on the lookout for something sweet, yet when making my own, I do try and limit the sugar as much as I can, and I think the addition of tea automatically makes things 10 times healthier, right? Well, my brain is convinced otherwise. I love myself a good crème brûlée, yet I was always scared to attempt my own as I was constantly under the impression that it was way out of my expertise. Funny thing is, that it is actually really easy! Even with the addition of tea, which I find adds another level of depth, but without compromising the flavour of the rich and creamy custard. I have tried a few different versions, and have experimented with a few different types of tea, but found that ShuiXian oolong works the best for my taste.
Why ShuiXian Tea?
Like with any recipe, you are free to customise it in any way you like. But I will share with you why I am a big fan of ShuiXian oolong tea for this recipe. ShuiXian oolong tea is a higher oxidised oolong, which means the leaves have been exposed to oxygen for a longer period of time. They become a dark brown, and when brewed, result in a deep amber tea. This is compared to a lighter oxidised oolong which is lighter in colour and has more of a delicate floral taste. ShuiXian takes on an earthy roasted flavour that is light but full of depth. Darker oolongs like ShuiXian have a stronger flavour and therefore can handle richer type of foods. It pairs very well with chocolate, custard, and caramel type desserts which is why I recommend ShuiXian in crème brûlée.
Tips and Tricks
● Use the right sized ramekins- Using ramekins that are too deep may result in your custard not cooking evenly. The best type is a wider, shallower ramekin which helps your crème brûlée cook evenly, and the wider top allows for more sugar to be placed on top (which we all know is the best bit!)
● Prepare your space- Ensure you have your ramekins ready, a large roasting pan with a damp tea towel on the bottom, and have set two fine mesh strainers placed over two mixing bowls before you begin baking. This helps for a smoother process and more successful bake.
● Make sure your egg yolks are separated properly- Egg whites help set our desserts, and because crème brûlée is meant to be jiggly, we do not want any egg white inside. You can freeze leftover egg whites and use them to make meringue or omelettes.
● Do NOT overheat your cream- When making the tea cream, be sure to first heat the cream gently to a simmer, add the tea leaves, then turn cream off heat whilst the leaves steep. Overheating the cream results in a bitter tea. Same applies for when adding the egg and sugar to the cream, ensure heat is on low to stop the egg from curdling.
● See to it that you temper your egg yolks- For those who do not know what tempering is, it is gently heating the egg yolks so they do not cause your crème brûlée to turn into a scrambled mess. To do this is to pour a small amount of the heated cream into the egg yolks and sugar, and whisk. Then place mixture back to the main pot.
● Keep temperature on low- A low temperature helps to prevent the egg from curdling and results in a smooth texture. This helps to avoid a grainy custard (which is all too common), so keep a close eye on your mixture and make sure it does not boil.
● Stir constantly when mixing the cream with the eggs and sugar- This process is to prevent curdling and to ensure sugar is entirely dissolved.
● Sieving the mixture keeps your crème brûlée smooth- Make sure all the lumps are out of your mixture before you place into ramekins.
● Always use a water bath method- Baking your ramekins in a pool of water helps to ensure they are cooked evenly and have that creamy texture. The water keeps the air in the oven moist, and prevents the crème brûlée from cracking.
● Place ramekins with mixture in the oven first, then add water- Carrying a roasting pan of boiling water and moving ramekins to the oven may not be the safest method, so by placing them down first, and using a jug to pour water is much easier.
● Do NOT overbake- It is common to overcook your crème brûlée, but just remember that they should be wobbly when you take them out.
● Brown sugar goes better with oolong- When I used regular granulated sugar, I found when mixed with the oolong tea, it gave the crème brûlée an artificial flavour. It is fine to use granulated sugar for the top, but not for the mixture.
● Wait until serving before adding sugar to the top- If topping with sugar immediately after, it will go soggy, so only apply the sugar right before serving. Use just a thin layer, as too thick will be harder to caramelise.
● Keep your blow torch on low and start by moving around the outside of the ramekin in small circular movements- Hold your blow torch back from your crème brûlée and try not to hold for too long in one spot as it can burn easily. Instead, keep moving your hand around the ramekin until you reach the middle.
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Ingredients
2 ½ cups Heavy Cream
9 tsp ShuiXian* Tea Leaves (8g)
5 Large Egg Yolks
¼ cup Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar to Sprinkle on Top
What I Need
Roasting Pan
4 Shallow Ramekins
Tea Towel
Saucepan
2 Fine Mesh Strainers
3 Mixing Bowls
Whisk
Spatula
Teaspoon
Jug
Blow torch
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Place a damp tea towel on the bottom of your roasting pan (this helps prevent the bottom of the ramekin from getting overheated) and place in the oven to reheat.
2. Whilst oven is reheating, prepare two bowls, two fine mesh strainers, and place to the side. Leave your eggs out at room temperature.
3. Place 2 ½ cups of cream in a saucepan over medium heat until the cream starts to simmer, turn heat to low, and place the ShuiXian tea leaves into the cream. Stir them into the cream and turn off your heat. Leave to steep for three minutes.
4. Pour your cream into one of the fine mesh strainers and press down on the leaves with the back of your spatula to ensure you strain as much of the cream from the tea leaves. Do not worry if some of the cream is stuck to the leaves. Gently mix your tea cream and leave the bowl aside.
(The reason I ask for 2 ½ cups of cream is to counteract the loss of some of the cream from the tea leaves).
5. In another bowl, whisk together your egg yolks and half of the sugar until combined. There is no need to whisk too crazily.
6. Place tea cream back into the saucepan on low heat and stir in the other half of the sugar. Wait for the cream to heat back up to a steamy simmer. Do NOT boil.
7. Slowly pour about a third of the tea cream mixture into the egg and sugar mix. Simultaneously whisk these together as you pour, to avoid curdling (this is to temper the eggs).
8. Once combined, pour the egg mixture back into the pot of cream, and constantly stir on low heat until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Make sure you do not boil your mixture.
9. Remove from heat and pour your mixture through the fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps for a smooth custard.
10. Pour mixture evenly into ramekins and place into the roasting pan. Pour boiling water into pan up to around three centimetres high. Avoid getting any water inside the ramekins.
11. Bake between 30 to 35 minutes (depending on the depth of your ramekins), until custard is set. Crème brûlée should wobble when the ramekins are lightly shaken.
12. Leave ramekins out to cool at room temperature before covering and moving them to the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 4-6 hours or overnight.
13. When ready to serve, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top, covering the entire surface. Use a blow torch** to caramelise the top until it is brown and bubbling (or to your required taste).
(Despite me using brown sugar for the custard, granulated sugar works better for the top as it takes less time to caramelise, and less chance of melting the custard or burning the sugar. It is much easier to gauge when it has been caramelised too, due to its colour cues. When torching, keep watch on the sugar, and when it turns a golden brown, you know it is ready).
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I know it looks like a lot of steps, and it may take more than one attempt to feel completely happy with your finished product, but once you have a feel of things, it is really easy! Plus, as it only involves a few ingredients, it is easy to whip up at any time. On my first attempt, my biggest challenge was overcoming a grainy custard. But hopefully with my tips and tricks, you will be able to get a smooth custard on your first try.
*Can substitute tea for any chosen tea of your choice.
**For those who do not have a blow torch, set your oven to the broiler setting, put your racks to the highest position, and place your ramekins on top. Keep oven door slightly open to regulate the heat, rotating ramekins frequently for an even caramelisation (and to avoid burning the sugar). Broil around 5-6 minutes, or until sugar is brown and bubbling. Refrigerate crème brûlée for 30 minutes to cool.
***For those who do not have a broiler setting on their oven, the same method applies above, except instead of the broiler setting, set your oven to the highest setting.
****Plan ahead- As crème brûlée needs time to chill and firm in the fridge, make sure you make it ahead of time to allow for this.
