Lemon Crème Brûlée

This lemon crème brûlée is decadently delicious, with a subtle lemon tang, a smooth and rich custard base and a crisp sugar shell.Use the toggle to switch between metric and US customary measurements.

📝 Ingredients

• 360 g heavy cream
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon zest (finely grated )
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• Granulated sugar

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 300°F / 150°C. Position the rack in the center.
2. 2Bring a jug of water to the boil.
3. 3In a large bowl, rub together sugar and lemon zest until the lemon oils are released and the sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the egg yolks, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt.
4. 4Heat the cream in a saucepan until just simmering but not boiling, then remove it from heat.
5. 5Gradually stream the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the egg yolks don’t curdle. Placing the bowl on a lightly dampened tea towel can help stop it moving on the bench while you whisk. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a jug.
6. 6Add four 6-ounce ramekins to a deep roasting pan, then evenly divide the custard mixture among them.
7. 7Carefully pour hot boiled water into the roasting pan until halfway up the sides of the ramekins, taking care not to splash water into the custard.
8. 8Bake for 30-35 minutes until set but still with a jiggle to the custard. If the center still looks sloshy, it’s not quite ready. Every oven will be different, so check your custards.
9. 9Remove the ramekins from the water bath, and cool them to room temperature on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then refrigerate them for at least 4 hours.
10. 10When ready to serve, sprinkle about two teaspoons of sugar evenly over each cold custard. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch until the sugar has melted and turned a deep golden brown. Allow the caramel to cool, then serve.