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Lavender Crème Brûlée
from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St John

4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Butter half a dozen
(6-ounce) ramekins and set them into a glass baking
dish. (Bain Marie)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the
cream and lavender flowers. Do not allow to boil .
You want it to simmer.  Remove from heat and allow
lavender flowers to infuse with the cream for 5 minutes.
Strain the cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer
to remove lavender flowers.

Beat egg yolks until slightly thickened and pale. Gradually
add ½ cup sugar and pour slowly into egg mixture, add
the cooled cream infusion, stirring constantly. Pour evenly
into dessert ramekins in the baking dish and pour in enough
hot water to come halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake
for 1 hour or until the custard is set.

Remove from the oven, but leave in the Bain Marie until
cooled. Remove ramekins from water bath and cover
with plastic wrap to avoid a “skin” developing on the top
of the custard.

Chill 2 - 4 hours or up to 2 days.

To serve: Remove plastic wrap from custard and sprinkle
tops with sugar (approximately 2 teaspoons of the remain-
ing sugar.)  Place ramekins under broiler (or use a kitchen
blowtorch) and caramelize sugar until brown and bubbly.
Chill for 10 minutes or until sugar hardens. Garnish with a
sprinkling of lavender flowers. Can be prepared a day
ahead.

Caution: Use culinary lavender or lavender that is insecticide
free.  

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