FRENCH, SWEET TREATS & DESSERTS
ROIBOOS CREME BRULEE
- Timescale Weekend Project
- Serves 3-4
- Difficulty Moderate
Crème Brulée, but not as you know it! I’ve altered one of my favourite desserts by infusing the silky custard with roiboos tea. With a honey and caramel flavour, the South African herb compliments the rich French vanilla crème wonderfully.


Ingredients
1/2 Vanilla Pod
40cl Double Creme
10cl Milk
5 Roiboos Tea Bags
5 Egg Yolks
40g Sugar
Demerara Sugar, for sprinkling
METHOD
1. Pour the milk and creme in a medium pan with the roiboos tea bags. Cut the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape the seeds into the milk & creme mixture, and place over medium heat. Once it just starts to lightly simmer, take the pan off the heat, leave the roiboos tea bags in and let them infuse for 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, using a wooden spoon until the mixture turns a white colour.
3. Slowly add in the milk & creme mixture and mix well. Pour into ramekins, cover in cling film and leave in the fridge for 2 hours minimum.
4. Turn the oven on and preheat at 95˚C. Place the ramekins delicately in the oven and bake for 1h to 1h15 minutes. The custards should be just set. Once cooled, keep them in the fridge.
5. When ready to serve, uncover the ramekins – if any condensation has collected on the custard, gently place a paper towel on the surface to soak up the moisture. Sprinkle evenly each custard ramekins with a teaspoon of demerara sugar. Brulée the top using a hand held blowtorch held 10-12cm away from the sugar. Move the flame over the sugar in a slow and even motion, until golden brown. Serve once it has cooled slightly.
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