To create this dessert, I used my friend and pastry chef Gilles Bajolles‘ crème brûlée recipe which is so silky and creamy. And I infused some bay leaves in the cream like the chef Florent Ladeyn: I tasted his wonderful Flemish tart at the Omnivore World Tour in 2015: a sort of pastry crust with crème brûlée on top, flavored with bay leaf.
That makes that dessert very elegant and silky-smooth in the mouth. A classic recipe from the French brasseries, with a nice twist in the flavor.
You will need
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 bay leaves
- Brown sugar
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour the cream, milk and bay leaves. Bring it to a boil and stop the fire. Put a lid on and let cool completely.
Add the egg yolks and sugar, then mix.
Pour the custard in some ramekins and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 200°F in a convection oven. The custard should be still jiggling a little at the center of the ramekin when you gently move it.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Sprinkle some brown sugar over the custards so they are covered evenly with a thin layer. Tilt a blowtorch over each crème brûlée until the sugar melts and caramelizes the crèmes brûlées.