Lavender Creme Brulee

A deliciously fragrant custard, delicately enhanced with fresh lavender flowers. The perfect spring or summertime dessert, or anytime! Use fresh organic lavender from your garden (or storebought culinary lavender). Cook time includes one hour stand time and several hours chill time. From pastry chef Jack Fisher at Nine-Ten Restaurant in La Jolla, CA.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups heavy cream
• 3  sprigs  fresh  lavender flowers, chopped (or @ 1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender, or to taste)
• 6  egg yolks
• 1⁄3 cup sugar, plus
•  more sugar, for sprinkling tops of custards

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, heat cream and lavender flowers over very low heat until warm.
3. Remove from heat and let stand for one hour.
4. Reheat before proceeding.
5. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar, and add 1 cup warm cream.
6. Add remaining cream and whisk until mixed thoroughly.
7. Strain and pour into 4-inch ramekins.
8. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan and pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
9. Cover pan with foil and carefully transfer pan to oven.
10. Bake custards for 45 to 50 minutes.
11. Cool, then chill several hours.
12. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar on top of each custard.
13. Use a hand-held torch to melt the sugar or place the custards 6 inches below a broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, until sugar bubbles and turns golden brown.
14. Refrigerate briefly, then serve.