Trader Joe's Lemon Lavender Crème Brûlée
Trader Joe'sTrader Joe's Lemon Lavender Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
For the Lemon Lavender Custard
- 2 cups heavy cream, Trader Joe's brand recommended for richness
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks, from Trader Joe's large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated, from 1 large Trader Joe's lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons culinary lavender, dried (a specialty item, not typically found at TJ's)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Trader Joe's brand recommended
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Caramelized Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for brûlée topping
For Garnish
- 4 fresh lavender sprigs, optional
- 4 lemon twists, optional, from Trader Joe's lemons
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grab a large roasting pan and line the bottom with a kitchen towel to keep your ramekins cozy and still. Arrange four 4-ounce ramekins within the pan.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the Trader Joe's heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, fresh lemon zest, and dried culinary lavender. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm but not boiling. Look for those tiny bubbles around the edges! Remove from heat, cover, and let it steep for 15 minutes. This is where the magic lemon and lavender flavors really get to know each other.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
While your cream is steeping, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (from your Trader Joe's large eggs), Trader Joe's pure vanilla extract, and fine sea salt. Whisk just until combined and slightly pale – no need to overdo it and incorporate too much air.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
After steeping, strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Gently press on the solids to get every last drop of flavor. Discard the strained lavender and lemon zest. This step is key for that super silky-smooth custard texture!
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Time to temper those eggs! Slowly, gradually pour about 1/2 cup of the warm, strained cream mixture into your whisked egg yolks, whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once combined, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining warm cream, whisking continuously until everything is perfectly blended.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Carefully divide the custard mixture evenly among your prepared ramekins. Place the roasting pan with the ramekins back into the preheated oven. Now, pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This 'bain-marie' (water bath) is your secret weapon for a perfectly cooked, crack-free custard.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325
- 7
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges of the custards are set but the centers still have a delightful little jiggle when gently shaken. The internal temperature should be around 170-175°F. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs, transfer the ramekins from the water bath to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 325
- 8
Once cooled, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight. This chill time is crucial for the custards to fully set and get perfectly cold.
⏱️ 240 min
- 9
Just before serving, uncover your chilled crème brûlées. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Now for the fun part: use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a gorgeous, deep amber, crisp crust. Keep the torch moving to avoid burning! If you don't have a torch, a preheated broiler works too – just watch them like a hawk for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for 1-2 minutes. For a fancy touch, garnish each crème brûlée with a fresh lavender sprig and a lemon twist (from your Trader Joe's lemons!). Serve immediately to enjoy that amazing contrast of warm, crisp topping and cold, creamy custard. Enjoy your little taste of luxury, TJ's style!
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Trader Joe'sTrader Joe's Lemon Lavender Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
For the Lemon Lavender Custard
- 2 cups heavy cream, Trader Joe's brand recommended for richness
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks, from Trader Joe's large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated, from 1 large Trader Joe's lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons culinary lavender, dried (a specialty item, not typically found at TJ's)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Trader Joe's brand recommended
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Caramelized Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for brûlée topping
For Garnish
- 4 fresh lavender sprigs, optional
- 4 lemon twists, optional, from Trader Joe's lemons
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grab a large roasting pan and line the bottom with a kitchen towel to keep your ramekins cozy and still. Arrange four 4-ounce ramekins within the pan.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325 - 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the Trader Joe's heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, fresh lemon zest, and dried culinary lavender. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm but not boiling. Look for those tiny bubbles around the edges! Remove from heat, cover, and let it steep for 15 minutes. This is where the magic lemon and lavender flavors really get to know each other.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
While your cream is steeping, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (from your Trader Joe's large eggs), Trader Joe's pure vanilla extract, and fine sea salt. Whisk just until combined and slightly pale – no need to overdo it and incorporate too much air.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
After steeping, strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Gently press on the solids to get every last drop of flavor. Discard the strained lavender and lemon zest. This step is key for that super silky-smooth custard texture!
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Time to temper those eggs! Slowly, gradually pour about 1/2 cup of the warm, strained cream mixture into your whisked egg yolks, whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once combined, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining warm cream, whisking continuously until everything is perfectly blended.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Carefully divide the custard mixture evenly among your prepared ramekins. Place the roasting pan with the ramekins back into the preheated oven. Now, pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This 'bain-marie' (water bath) is your secret weapon for a perfectly cooked, crack-free custard.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 325 - 7
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges of the custards are set but the centers still have a delightful little jiggle when gently shaken. The internal temperature should be around 170-175°F. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs, transfer the ramekins from the water bath to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 325 - 8
Once cooled, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight. This chill time is crucial for the custards to fully set and get perfectly cold.
⏱️ 240 min - 9
Just before serving, uncover your chilled crème brûlées. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Now for the fun part: use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a gorgeous, deep amber, crisp crust. Keep the torch moving to avoid burning! If you don't have a torch, a preheated broiler works too – just watch them like a hawk for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Let the caramelized sugar cool and harden for 1-2 minutes. For a fancy touch, garnish each crème brûlée with a fresh lavender sprig and a lemon twist (from your Trader Joe's lemons!). Serve immediately to enjoy that amazing contrast of warm, crisp topping and cold, creamy custard. Enjoy your little taste of luxury, TJ's style!
⏱️ 2 min