Chai Crème Brûlée - Te Purini Kahitete

A delicious chai spiced creme brulée with a super creamy custard and a hard sugar top to crack in to.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 rākau hinamona - 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 huakini (peppercorns, whole)
• 4 korohe (cloves)
• 1 pākākano wanira (vanilla pod) this can be replaced with 1 tablespoon of vanilla past.
• 4 pēke tī rau kikini (chai tea bags)
• 2 1/2 C (625 ml) kirīmi (cream)
• 1/3 C (85 ml) miraka (milk)
• 7 tōhua hēki (egg yolks, from size 6, small eggs)
• 1/2 C (110 g) huka one (caster sugar)
• 1/2 quantity Homemade Brandy Snaps

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Preheat the Oven: ---
2. 2Preheat the oven to 120 °C. This is a low heat but it ensures a smooth and creamy baked kahitete (custard).
3. 3--- Prepare the Spices: ---
4. 4Add the rākau hinamona (cinnamon stick), huakini (peppercorns) and korohe (cloves) in to in a mortar and pestle. Give them all a good crush to release the flavours. This can be done on chopping board with a rākau pokepoke (rolling pin) too.
5. 5Add them all to a medium sized pot.
6. 6Cut open the pākākano wanira (vanilla pod) and scrape out the kākako (seeds). Add the seeds and the whole pod in to the pot with the spices. If you are using vanilla paste, just add it to straight to the pot.
7. 7Add in the pēke tī (tea bags).
8. 8--- Add the Cream and Milk: ---
9. 9Pour in the kirīmi (cream) and miraka (milk).Āta kaurorihia - give it a gentle stir.
10. 10--- Heat the Mixture: ---
11. 11Warm on the stove until it reaches a gentle simmer.
12. 12Remove from the heat. Leave for 10 minutes so the flavours infuse in to the cream mixture.
13. 13--- Prepare the Egg Yolks: ---
14. 14Add the tōhua hēki (egg yolks) and huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon for two minutes until light and creamy.
15. 15--- Strain the Cream: ---
16. 16Strain the raununga kirīmi (cream mixture) in to a sieve that is sitting over a big bowl. Press the tea bags to squeeze out the extra flavour.
17. 17--- Combine the Cream and Egg Yolk mixture: ---
18. 18Pour the kirīmi (cream) a little bit at a time in to the egg yolks, stirring with a wooden spoon until all combine.Do not whisk the mixture because we don't want to add air in to the mixture.
19. 19--- Pour the Custard in to Ramekins: ---
20. 20Place 6 x 10 cm ramekins in a high sided baking pan.Do not let them touch each other or the sides of the pan.
21. 21Pour ¾’s of a cup of the mixture in to the ramekins.
22. 22--- Bake the Crème Brûlée: ---
23. 23Place the tray in the oven.Pour hot water in to the tray, filling the tray half way up the ramekins.
24. 24Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until just set but with a slight wobble.
25. 25--- Cool the Crème Brûlée: ---
26. 26Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 30 minutes on the bench.
27. 27Whakamātaohia (refrigerate) for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight.The baked purini (desserts) will last in a sealed container for up to five days.
28. 28Brûlée the tops just before serving.
29. 29--- Add the Sugar: ---
30. 30Before serving, sprinkle each of the baked kahitete (custard) with 1 ½ teaspoons of huka one (caster sugar).
31. 31Shake the kahitete (custard) to disperse the huka one (caster sugar) evenly all over.
32. 32--- Brûlée the Tops: ---
33. 33Caramelise the huka one (caster sugar) with a chef's blow torch or you can do this under a grill.
34. 34If you want to do this under the grill, preheat it to 200 °C.
35. 35Slide the sugar covered desserts under the grill for a minute or so until the huka (sugar) is caramelised.
36. 36The sugar should be a deep caramel colour so take the time to toast it until it turns a deep colour. They are ready to serve like this or add these fun whakarākei (decorations).
37. 37--- Add Mini Brandy Snaps (Optional): ---
38. 38Make a half batch of my Homemade Brandy Snaps. Make half sized Brandy Snaps, bake them and roll them up tight, in to cigar shapes.
39. 39Decorated the edges with tiakarete (chocolate) and pihitāhio (pistachios) if you want.
40. 40--- Serve the Chai Crème Brûlée: ---
41. 41Serve each creme brûlée with a mini brandy snap resting on the side.
42. 42The baked purini (desserts) will last in a sealed container for up to five days. Always Brûlée the tops just before serving for the best crunch and wow factor.