This Thai Tea Creme Brulee recipe is an absolute dream. Think of this dessert as a Thai tea custard; all the flavors of the well-known and coveted drink in silky, creamy custard form.
If you are in the mood for more creme brûlée recipes, then check out my Banana Creme Brulee recipe, next! If you are looking for more Thai-inspired desserts, then check out Mango Sticky Rice!
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Thai Tea Creme Brulee is like a gift that keeps on giving. This elegant dessert is brimming with nostalgic flavors of my childhood with a classic french custard twist–it’s so unbelievably good.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make – Some people get intimidated when they think about making creme brulee from the comfort of their home, but I’m here to tell you it’s simple and straightforward.
- Perfect for Thai tea lovers – Fans of this well-known beverage can now enjoy it in custard form and it’s absolutely delicious!
- Impress your guests – Creme brulee tends to have that effect as one of those impressive desserts, “wow” your guests with this French and Thai fusion.
Tools You’ll Need
- Four 6-ounce ramekins
- Double rod strainer
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Pan – to hold ramekins
- Kitchen torch
- Cheesecloth
Ingredients You Will Need
The best part about this creme brulee–other than the exquisite taste–is that it calls for minimal ingredients. All you need is 6 simple ingredients, that’s it!
- Thai tea mix – Where this dessert gets its signature flavor.
- Egg yolk – Egg whites are separated and yolks are only used. I usually make creme brulee in the morning, so I use leftover egg whites for a breakfast omelet. No wasting, here!
- Heavy cream – This is where the brulee gets its richness.
- Pure vanilla extract – Use the good stuff. I always have a bottle of this pure vanilla extract in my pantry.
- Sugar – Added to the egg yolk and used for the crunchy top us creme brulee fiends love to crack.
- Salt – Sprinkled atop the yolks to add a slight balance to the sweetness.
What Type of Thai Tea Mix Should You Use
When making Thai milk tea creme brulee, I use this Thai tea mix and have found to really like the flavor.
It’s quite aromatic, the hue is the familiar orange of Thai tea, and produces a flavor akin to what you get at most Thai restaurants. Other brands I’ve used tend to not taste exactly like the tea we all know and love or have too much sugar in the mix.
How to Make Banana Creme Brulee
This easy creme brulee recipe only requires a few steps:
- Preheat oven to 325°F and move oven rack to the middle.
- In a saucepan, add cream, pure vanilla extract and Thai tea mix. Whisk to combine and heat over a medium-low flame for a few minutes, just until you begin to see steam rise from the mixture. Remove from heat, set aside.
- Meanwhile, add yolks, salt, and sugar to a mixing bowl. Whisk until light and creamy. Set aside
- Place cheesecloth into a double-rod strainer and over a mixing bowl. Pour in cream mixture, then squeeze cheesecloth. Discard tea leaves.
- Temper the eggs by stirring in one quarter of the cream into the egg mixture and whisk. Repeat until fully combined. Skim and discard any foam from the top.
- Place four 8-ounce shallow ramekins into a baking dish then pour in mixture. Add boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking at the 30-minute mark. Centers should be set, having a wobble when you tap the sides.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- When ready to serve, top each custard with a teaspoon of sugar. Carefully torch in a circular motion, 4 inches away from the top, until sugar melts and turns an amber color.
Tips and Tricks
- Temper the eggs. Even though the cream mixture is scalding hot, it is important to incrementally add it to the eggs and sugar so as to not cook the eggs. When added too quickly or if the cream mixture is too hot, you can end up with scrambled eggs.
- Use quality ingredients. Since this creme brulee recipe only calls for a few ingredients, go for organic heavy cream and pure vanilla extract. Trust me, you will taste the difference.
- Skim the foam. After whisking the eggs and creamy together, Skim the foam from the top of the mixture.
- Pop the bubbles. After pouring into ramekins, bubbles will sometimes rise to the top. Be sure to pop that–I always keep a toothpick handy–as it can leave an unappealing appliance after cooking.
- Custard keeps for 3 days. If you want to make this ahead of time, simply bake the custard, cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days before torching the sugary top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I brulee the top and then refrigerate?
Wait to brulee the top until ready to eat. Placing creme brulee in the refrigerator with the hard topping will cause it to soften and you won’t have that signature crack.
How do I know if the creme brûlées are done baking?
The sides should be set and the middle should have a slight jiggle to them when you tap the side of the ramekin. If the middle is quite wobbly, cook for a little longer.
What does tempering mean?
Tempering refers to incrementally combining eggs with warm liquid–in this case, Thai tea mix–to create a stable base for the custard. It’s important that the liquid is not too hot, as it will scramble or cook the eggs, rather warm to the touch.
What’s the purpose of the water bath?
The water bath helps to cook the custard in constant (but gentle) heat.
What kind of sugar should I use for the top?
Cane sugar works perfectly fine.
Are all ramekins the same?
No. They will vary in size–typically in ounces–and some are designed with higher or lower walls. For this recipe, I use shallow 8-ounce ramekins. If you opt for ramekins with higher sides, you may need to adjust your cooking time.
Do cooking times vary?
Thai Tea Creme Brûlée should be set after baking for 35-40 minutes in the oven. Keep in mind that not all ovens are alike and some may cook hotter than others. If you know that your oven tends to cook hotter, check the creme brûlée for a set wobble after 30 minutes and adjust the cooking time, if needed.
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Thai Tea Creme Brulee
Ingredients
- 2½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup Thai tea mix
- 1½ teaspoons teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and move oven rack to the middle.
- In a saucepan, add cream, pure vanilla extract and Thai tea mix. Whisk to combine and heat over a medium-low flame for a few minutes, just until you begin to see steam rise from the mixture and just until warm. Do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat, and allow mixture to steep for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add yolks, salt, and sugar to a mixing bowl. Whisk until light and creamy. Set aside.
- Place cheesecloth into a double-rod strainer and over a mixing bowl. Pour in cream mixture, then squeeze cheesecloth. Discard tea leaves.
- Temper the eggs by stirring in one quarter of the cream into the egg mixture and whisk. Repeat until fully combined. Skim and discard any foam from the top.
- Place four 8-ounce shallow ramekins into a baking dish then pour in the mixture. Add boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking at the 30-minute mark. Centers should be set, having a wobble when you tap the sides.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- When ready to serve, top each custard with a teaspoon of sugar and spread out sugar evenly. Carefully torch in a circular motion, 4 inches away from the top, until sugar melts and turns an amber color.
- Enjoy!
Michele says...
Honestly, so so good. Mine set at 35 minutes. I used shallow ramekins and kept it in the fridge overnight and bruleed the top after dinner. Fantastic recipe
Jeri Mobley-Arias says...
SO glad you enjoyed!
Rita says...
I saw this and made it immediately. Luckily I had the ingredients on hand and lots of Thai tea mix that needed to be put to good use. Let me tell you, this was INCREDIBLE. The texture was perfect and flavor was exactly like Thai tea, but custardy. Going to make this again for friends. Thanks for another great recipe
Jeri Mobley-Arias says...
Definitely one of my favorite desserts. Thank you, Rita!