GINGER LEMON-GRASS CREME BRULEE …TASTE OF YELLOW

“For me it was always a simple passion”
Lance Armstrong

This is a sunshine post for Barbara of Winos & Foodies. She’s back with her ‘ Taste of Yellow‘ event, and my yolks were screaming yellow at me. In Barbara’s words, “LiveSTRONG With A Taste Of Yellow is my way of supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation by raising awareness of cancer issues world wide. It is a way for all food and wine bloggers to share their stories. The happy and the sad, the struggles and the triumphs. If you are lucky and have not be touched by cancer you are still welcome to participate.” The Yellow Wristband Project
For champion cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, yellow is more than just the color of the Tour de France’s leader jersey. It’s a symbol for hope, courage, and perseverance. Today, more than 47.5 million LIVESTRONG wristbands have been sold since they were first made available in May of 2004 to raise funds for the programs of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).
I’ve been meaning to make creme brulee or at least creme custard for ages, but my dislike for eggy smells has kept me at bay. No longer though. Now that I finally had this lovely big bag of vanilla beans that Ria managed to source for me from South India, I had to make the custard right away.

The elegant dessert creme brulee has a thick pudding base of cream and eggs topped by a delicate layer of caramelized sugar. In French, “creme brulee” means “burnt cream,” which refers to the process by which sprinkled sugar gets heated to a temperature that caramelizes it to a delicious brown. The traditional method of cooking this type of custard has evolved many flavored variations.

My custard is a fusion of flavours, Thai I think. I had ginger in the fridge, and lots of lemon grass growing in my little patch outside, so I googled for ideas. There I was – A Ginger Lemon-Grass Creme Brulee I found here. None of the flavours in the custard were overpowering or overwhelming. Just simple subtle flavours, combining elegantly to flavour the custard. Simple enough to be enjoyed by the kids too. I did have trouble with the brulee though since I don’t have a blow torch. It took forever for the sugar to caramelise under the hot grill & I was a bit wary of my custard melting. 4 ramekins later, I cheated a little and took a shortcut for the remaining few. I caramelised some sugar to very brown in a pan & quickly poured it on top of the chilled custard. Tilted the ramekins immediately to spread it, kept it thin… Unauthentic, but it got me to some sort of brulee stage alright! Later even tried to spin some sugar with not very good results!
Ginger Lemon-Grass Creme Brulee
Adapted from recipe by Eric Lanlard from Glamour Puds
Ingredients:
400ml single cream
125ml whole milk
6 large eggs
100g of caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
2 stem of lemongrass, chopped
1 stem of fresh ginger
Demerara sugar for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat the oven to 140C.
Put the ginger and lemon grass in a pestle and mortar and bruise well to release flavours.
In a saucepan add the cream, milk, split vanilla pod and the lemongrass and ginger paste then heat slowly until hot but not boiling. Leave to infuse for an hour. (or overnight which is what I did). Reheat to almost boiling just before use.
In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar until white and fluffy. Slowly pour the hot cream over the egg mixture mixing continuously.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
Pour the cream into lightly greased ramekins bake it for approximately 30 minutes until the mixture is wobbly.

Leave to cool down. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, or even overnight.
Sprinkle about 2 tsps demerara sugar on the top of each and caramelize with a blow torch for 1-2 minutes before serving. Or set the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide it under the broiler. Broil, watching constantly and rotating the pan for even caramelization, until the toppings are bubbling and a rich brown, about 2 or 3 minutes, depending on the intensity of the heat.

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

Published by

Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

38 thoughts on “GINGER LEMON-GRASS CREME BRULEE …TASTE OF YELLOW”

  1. Looks fab Deeba! a lovely flavor combination. just up my road! you rock and as you see not everything delish needs feet! love ya!

  2. Looks fabulous Deeba. You live a little far away else I would have surely jumped on one of those.

    I wouldn't know whether you ever get time to read new blogs.
    I invite you to read my 50th post. It's quite simple, but very healthy.

  3. Beautiful! Such a smart way to use yolks! After today, I have a TON of yolks already…after tomorrow I'll have even more. Maybe I'll be making some Deeba-style Creme Brulee!

  4. what a noble cause. This brulee looks amazing. Well as with all your baking. I d like to buy some vanilla beans too. They re so expensive here though. Can you suggest a seller ?

  5. I love the flavors you used in that crème brûlée! A perfect combo, yummy!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  6. It is so funny that you posted this recipe today! I've been on a baked custard kick and was just thinking I should experiment and do add some ginger. Maybe I should add lemongrass too. You pictures, as always, are just gorgeous!

  7. hi deeba, have been reading and drooling on ur blog eversince i came upon it.but one complaint- i can't seem to get u to answer my mails to u. i live in Gurgaon as well and would love to know where u get some of ur ingredients frm and a few other q's pls., do reply, i wait for it.Gajra.
    P.S. have also mailed ur frnd Nachiketa so as i can get in touch with u thru mail.thanku.

  8. Wow I love the ginger in them. Looks beautiful and so yumm, clevr idea about the caramel.

  9. Vindee!! What incredible flavors we have going on here! Wow! I simply must try this flavor-mix.

  10. The guy who sells you eggs must be "eggstatic"! 🙂
    Seriously though, looks very good. You won't believe this, but caramel custards have always got the better of me!

  11. Thanks for reminding me about this event Deeba. It is such an excellent cause. Also love your brulees which are perfect.

  12. Just gorgeous photos. I would love to participate in the Taste of Yellow event, but I've set aside this weekend to bake my Daring Bakers Challenge, which I can't post until the 27th (you know the drill!)

    I WONDER, though, if there's something I could whip up… Hmm! Thanks for inspiring me 🙂

  13. Nice and perfect Deeba, really beauty I love lemon grass and creme brulee, I ove your ramekins, are so cute!!! xxGloria

  14. So this is what you've been doing with all those egg yolks!
    Even though I hate eggs with a passion, I really like custardy things and even a 'good' creme brulee, and this looks like a 'great' one Deeba!

  15. Perfect, Deeba, just perfect. Yellow for Barbara's Taste of Yellow Event and a fabulous and exotic creme brulée, one of our favorites. Beautiful. Save some for me.

  16. Oh why ever would you have so many lovely yellow yolks lying around, hmmm I wonder… 😉

    An unidentified student at my school made some kind of ginger creme brulee yesterday which we all sampled. It was disappointing, but I'm sure yours is better! Ginger + Lemongrass = <3 (that's a sideways heart)

  17. I sometimes cook by color. I haven't been let down yet. This recipe and your photos look absolutely delicious.

  18. This dessert looks incredible. The combinations of ginger and lemongrass seems fresh and lovely!

  19. I just got a blow torch for creme brule from my mother in law. I think your (delicious looking) recipe is a sign that I need to use it right away.

  20. This is such a wonderful contribution. Your crème brûlée is looking incredible. The pictures are so well done.

    Your friend,

    Hélène 🙂

  21. Hi Deeba,
    This is the first time i am writing to you. Your bakes make me drool all the time…. 🙂
    I have recently moved to Delhi and was wondering if you take classes ?
    If so, pl do let me know. Your fotos are awesome…are you a better cook or photographer ??

    -Mudita

  22. That's a great cause, and I love your combination of flavours. Our lemon grass is looking pretty straggly at the moment, but hopefully it will cheer up for spring.

  23. I've been on a little ginger craze lately, so you can imagine how tempting this sounds!

  24. Look at you flaunting three of my favourite ingredients – ginger, vanilla and lemon!

  25. The photos keep getting better and better! I'm told there is this really swanky restaurant in KL that serves Ginger Creme Brulee. Bet yours is better than theirs!!

  26. Ginger & lemon grass sounds like a fabulous combination, delicious creme brulee!

  27. The flavors are just gorgeous Deeba!! you have come up with the best… I have never made the brulee for i don't have the otrch, but you do find your way:-) I do the caramel custard more often & use my mom's recipe which less eggs. i am going to try these flavors in the caramel custard. loved it!

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