Cardamom & Citrus Crème Brûlée Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place 6 (4-oz / 120 ml) ramekins in a large roasting pan; set aside. Bring a kettle of water to a simmer for a bain-marie.

Crack and measure

Separate 6 large eggs and reserve the yolks (discard or save whites for another use). In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the 6 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon sea salt until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale.

Toast and bruise cardamom

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast 8 green cardamom pods, shaking the pan, for about 1 minute until fragrant. Let cool slightly, then crush pods with the flat of a knife or in a mortar to expose the seeds; discard empty husks or leave a few for stronger aroma.

Heat cream with aromatics

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk. Add the crushed cardamom seeds and pods, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (from custard), the orange zest (1 tablespoon) and lemon zest (1 teaspoon). Warm the mixture over medium heat just until it begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges — do not boil. Once steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes to extract cardamom and citrus flavor.

Strain and temper

After steeping, strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan or bowl to remove cardamom husks and zest. If you like an extra-smooth texture, line the sieve with a bit of cheesecloth. Rewarm the strained cream gently until hot but not boiling. Slowly pour about one third of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks (this prevents curdling). Continue adding the remaining hot cream in a slow steady stream while whisking until fully combined. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Finish custard and pour

Pass the combined custard through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl to ensure smoothness. Divide the custard evenly among the six prepared ramekins, filling to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) from the rim.

Place the roasting pan with the filled ramekins in the preheated oven. Carefully pour the simmering water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins (about 1 inch / 2–3 cm).

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 35–40 minutes, or until custards are set at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center. Exact time depends on oven and ramekin size; start checking at 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then cover each ramekin loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to fully set and develop flavors.

When ready to serve, remove the chilled crème brûlées from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to take the chill off (this helps with even caramelization).

Evenly sprinkle about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over the top of each custard. For extra texture, you can blend 1/2 tablespoon demerara or turbinado sugar with 1/2 tablespoon granulated for each ramekin instead (or use the demerara alone). Shake off any excess so the sugar layer is thin and even.

Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar by moving the flame in a slow circular motion about 2–3 inches above the surface until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep golden brown. This takes roughly 30–60 seconds per ramekin. If you don't have a torch, place the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack of a very hot oven (set to broil) for 2–4 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Allow the caramelized tops to cool undisturbed for 2–3 minutes so the sugar hardens into a crisp shell. Garnish each custard with a thin citrus slice or a small piece of candied orange peel if using. Serve immediately.