Rooibos Crème Brûlée
A velvety crème brûlée infused with rooibos tea—its natural vanilla and honey notes create the most elegant, caffeine-free custard.
Rooibos was practically made for crème brûlée. Its natural vanilla and honey undertones meld seamlessly into the custard, adding depth and warmth without any additional flavorings needed.
Steeping the tea directly in the warm cream extracts its full character—the liquid turns a gorgeous deep amber and takes on that signature sweet, slightly woody aroma. Strain well to keep the custard silky smooth.
The caramelized sugar crust on top adds the classic crack and contrast, but here it plays double duty: the slight bitterness of burnt sugar balances the rooibos' inherent sweetness perfectly.
Serve these in shallow ramekins for maximum brûlée surface area. A few fresh berries on the side cut through the richness—raspberries or blueberries work especially well with the tea's warm flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 rooibos tea bags or 3 tbsp loose leaf
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for brûlée topping
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh berries for garnish
How to make it
- 1Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat cream in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat, add rooibos, cover, and steep 15 minutes.
- 2Strain cream through a fine sieve, pressing tea to extract all flavor. Discard leaves/bags.
- 3Whisk egg yolks with sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale and smooth. Slowly pour in the warm rooibos cream, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling.
- 4Pour custard into 4 shallow ramekins. Place in a baking dish and fill with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- 5Bake 40–45 minutes until set but still jiggly in the center. Remove from water bath and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- 6To serve, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on each custard. Torch with a kitchen blowtorch until golden and crackling. Serve immediately with fresh berries.
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