Decaf Chai Spiced Crème Brûlée
A silky crème brûlée infused with decaf chai—cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves bloom in warm cream beneath a shattering caramel crust.
This crème brûlée steeps decaf chai directly into the warm cream, letting cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves infuse every layer of the custard. The result is deeply aromatic—like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket made of dessert.
The beauty of using a chai tea bag rather than individual spices is balance. The tea blend is already perfectly calibrated, so you get harmony instead of any single spice dominating. The decaf base means you can enjoy this after dinner without a second thought.
Patience matters with the bake. A low-and-slow water bath gives you that trembling, barely-set center that defines a great crème brûlée. Overbaking turns it grainy—pull them when the edges are set but the center still wobbles like jelly.
The caramel crust is the grand finale. A thin, even layer of sugar torched to amber creates that satisfying crack when your spoon breaks through. The contrast between the warm spiced custard and the bitter-sweet caramel is extraordinary.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 decaf chai tea bags
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for topping
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to make it
- 1Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat cream in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat, add chai tea bags, cover, and steep 20 minutes.
- 2Remove tea bags, squeezing gently to extract flavor. Reheat cream slightly if it has cooled.
- 3Whisk egg yolks with sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale and smooth. Slowly pour warm cream into the yolk mixture, stirring constantly (don't whisk—you want no foam).
- 4Strain through a fine sieve into a pouring jug. Divide among 4 ramekins.
- 5Place ramekins in a deep baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake 40–45 minutes until edges are set but centers still wobble.
- 6Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours. To serve, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top and torch until amber and crackling.
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