Description
This tropical twist on the classic French dessert infuses the rich, creamy custard of crème brûlée with the earthy, vanilla-like flavor of pandan. Topped with a crisp caramelized sugar crust, it’s a unique and elegant treat that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for topping)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons pandan extract or juice
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) to prepare for baking the custards gently in a water bath.
- Heat Cream and Milk: In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and milk, and heat over medium until just steaming but not boiling to avoid curdling.
- Whisk Egg Yolks and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened for a smooth custard base.
- Temper Eggs: Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper and prevent scrambling the eggs.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in the pandan extract and vanilla extract to infuse the custard with aromatic flavor.
- Strain Mixture: Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a pouring jug to ensure a silky texture without lumps.
- Pour into Ramekins: Divide the custard evenly among 4 to 6 ramekins for individual servings.
- Prepare Water Bath: Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish and carefully fill the dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins to create a gentle cooking environment.
- Bake: Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the centers are just set with a slight jiggle for perfect creamy texture.
- Cool and Chill: Remove from the water bath and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set firmly.
- Caramelize Sugar Topping: Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize using a kitchen torch until golden and crisp for the signature brûlée crust.
- Serve: Let the sugar cool and harden for 1–2 minutes then serve and enjoy this elegant pandan-flavored dessert.
Notes
- For a more natural pandan flavor, use fresh pandan juice made by blending pandan leaves with water and straining.
- The custards can be made up to 2 days in advance and brûléed just before serving for convenience and freshness.
