Masala Chai Crème Brûlée - Festive Diwali Dessert
Elevate your Diwali dinner menu with this indulgent Masala Chai Crème Brûlée, a dessert that perfectly blends classic French technique with the warm, aromatic spices of India. Creamy, silky custard infused with cardamom, cinnamon, and chai spices, finished with a crisp caramelised top - makes for the perfect end to a Diwali dinner party.
Serves 4
Ingredients
500ml double cream
1 tsp black tea (or 1 teabag)
3-4 cardamom pods, crushed
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 inch of peeled and smashed fresh ginger
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 cup (110g) sugar
4-6oz ramekins
Method
Preheat oven to 160ºc (325ºf). Place 4 ramekin dishes in a deep baking dish with room in between them.
In a saucepan, gently heat the cream, tea bag, spices, vanilla and salt over low heat until it’s hot. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat, and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to continue steeping, then strain and discard the spices and teabag.
In a larger bowl, gently whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined.
To make the custard, temper the eggs by adding a slow stream of some of the cream mix and whisk gently. This will prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once smooth and combined, pour in the remaining mix and stir together.
Gently pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring jug or anything with a spout. Make sure to remove any foam or bubbles from the top of the mixture, as this will create a layer when baking. Let the mixture rest if there are too many bubbles until they naturally subside.
Once the mixture is smooth with no bubbles, pour gently between the ramekins. Pop any bubbles with the corner of a napkin. Making sure the mixture is, once again, smooth.
Pour boiling water into the baking dish around the ramekins, until it reaches halfway up the ramekin’s sides and place the baking dish with the ramekins in the preheated oven.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the tops are just set and the middle is still a bit jiggly.
Cool for a few hours in the fridge.
Once the crème brûlée custards are set and before serving, spoon some granulated sugar on top and shake around to get an even coating. Using a blowtorch (or grill - see note), evenly torch the sugar until it is caramelised.
Allow the caramelised sugar to cool and harden, then serve.
Additional Notes
The crème brûlée custards, without the sugar coating, will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
If using the oven grill instead of the blowtorch to caramelise the sugar, turn the grill to high. Once sprinkled with sugar, place the ramekins back on a baking tray and place under the grill about 3-4 inches from the top. Let the grill do its work and caramelise the sugar.
Tara Maini Gadhoke is the creative force behind Choperella where she shares approachable, mouthwatering dishes. As a passionate recipe developer, Tara loves sharing recipes that bring joy and flavour to your table. At the heart of Choperella is the belief that gathering around food is about more than just eating – it’s about family, connection, and the simple joy of sharing a meal with those we love. Follow Tara for more recipe inspiration @choperella