Chocolate Earl Grey Crème Brûlée

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat oven to 300 degrees. Set two 8-ounce shallow ramekins in a baking pan with sides at least 2 inches tall.

2. Step 2

   Add the cream to a small saucepan set over medium heat and warm until just bubbling around the edges. Turn off the heat, add the tea and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, pressing to extract all of the liquid into the pan. If using tea leaves, strain out the leaves and return the cream to the pan.

3. Step 3

   Add the 2 tablespoons/25 grams of granulated sugar and return the pan to the heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a gentle simmer and the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until smooth.

4. Step 4

   Add the egg yolks and salt to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Slowly stream the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking continuously. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a container with a spout, for easy pouring.

5. Step 5

   Slowly pour the mixture into the ramekins, dividing evenly. If the custard has large air bubbles floating on the top, use a kitchen torch on a low setting to pop the bubbles. Fill a kettle or container with a spout with about 3 cups of hot tap water.

6. Step 6

   Gently place the pan in the oven. Carefully pour the hot tap water into the pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the custards until just set but slightly wiggly in the center, 22 to 25 minutes.

7. Step 7

   Remove the pan from the oven and carefully use a spatula to remove the custards from the water bath and set them on a rack to cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the custards until completely cool, at least 2 hours.

8. Step 8

   When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the top of each custard with a thin layer of sugar; you’ll need 1 to 3 teaspoons, depending on the width of your ramekins. Use a kitchen torch held about ½ inch above the custards to melt and caramelize the sugar. Move the torch slowly over the entire surface of the custard to evenly melt then caramelize the sugar until it is deep golden brown. Let the sugar cool for a minute or two then serve. You can make the custards up to 2 days in advance; let the chilled custard sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes so it can soften slightly before you torch the top just before serving.