Caramelized Honey Brûlée

Makes 8 6-oz ramekins

You will need a kitchen torch (or just a regular blow torch works well too!) for this dish but it is well worth it – making the crackling caramelized sugar crust on top is the icing on this dessert! This is a great do-ahead recipe – you can make it 5 days ahead of when you need it – it is smooth, cool and creamy – and easier to serve than ice cream on a hot day.

Special Equipment​​

• Eight 6-oz. ramekins
• A kitchen torch

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Raw Bluegrass Wildflower Honey
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Place honey in a medium saucepan and scrape in vanilla seeds; save pod for another use.
3. Cook over medium-high, swirling pan occasionally, until honey darkens and smells almost burnt (don‘t worry, this is what you‘re going for!) and bubbling begins to slow, 5–8 minutes.
4. Gradually add cream, then milk, to caramelized honey, stirring constantly until combined.
5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk salt into egg yolks, then stream in honey-caramel mixture, whisking constantly.
6. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup. Divide among ramekins.

Place ramekins in a large baking dish lined with a dish towel (it will keep them from sliding around) and pour in boiling water around ramekins so it comes halfway up sides.

Bake until edges of custards are set but centers still jiggle slightly, 65–75 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath and let custards cool, about 1 hour. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle custards evenly with sugar and heat with torch until sugar is melted and caramelized to a deep amber color. Your goal is to make a thin, smooth, brittle crust that shatters when broken. 

Serve and enjoy!

DO AHEAD: Custards can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.