Name: Lime Leaf Crème Brûlée
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3 egg yolks; 15 fresh lime leaves (washed and dried); 70 gms – 1/3 cup sugar (+ 2 tbsp for the top); 500 ml – 2 cups milk; 20 gms – 2 tbsp corn starch

Today’s recipe was born as an experiment. It’s spring here in Sydney and my lime tree has got lots of new leaves. When I touched them, I got overwhelmed by their delicious aroma. In the south of Italy, lemon leaves are often used in cooking, so I thought of experimenting with the lime leaves instead. I picked a few fresh, light green leaves and used them to infuse the milk to make this Lime Leaf Crème Brûlée. Technically speaking, this is more similar to a Crema Catalana, as I used milk and not cream to make it, but the result AMAZING. The cream was silky (yet lower in calories than a “real” crème brûlée) and the lime leaves gave it a delicious and delicate lime flavour. If you don’t have a lime tree, you can make this recipe with store bought kafir lime leaves as well, though I would use half the amount of leaves to infuse the milk as kafir lime leaves are stronger in taste. Enjoy and let me know how you like it!

Lime Leaf Crème Brûlée

Learn how to make Lime Leaf Crème Brûlée - silky, smooth and with a delicate lime flavour.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
15 fresh lime leaves washed and dried
70 gms – 1/3 cup sugar + 2 tbsp for the top
500 ml – 2 cups milk
20 gms – 2 tbsp corn starch

Instructions

Put the milk and fresh lime leaves in a pot. Bring to a boil, then put the fire off and let the lime leaves infuse the milk for 30 to 60 minutes. Then sieve the mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch until white and fluffy.
Put the egg yolk mixture on the fire and slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly.
Cook on a medium flame until it boils and the cream thickens. It will be quite frothy at the beginning, but the foam will disappear once it starts to boil (at this point, the crème brûlée will be ready).
Divide the cream between 4 ramekins and let it cool down. When at room temperature, put it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
Just before serving, sprinkle ½ tablespoon of sugar on each crème brûlée and brûlée it using a torch.
Serve immediately.