Tarragon & Orange Crème Brûlée with Blackberries Macerated in Tarragon & Ginger with Tarragon Brown Flour Shortbread
Ingredients
Crème Brûlée:
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream
2 sprigs tarragon
1 tsp (5 mL) orange zest
1 oz (30 mL) Cointreau or Triple Sec
4 egg yolks
½ cup (125 mL) sugar, plus more sugar for sprinkling on top
Fresh tarragon and superfine sugar for garnish
Blackberries Macerated with Tarragon & Ginger:
1 pint blackberries
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced tarragon leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) grated ginger
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
1 oz (2 tbsp) brandy or rum
Brown Flour & Tarragon Shortbread:
2 cups (500 mL) flour
2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
1 tsp (5 mL) minced tarragon
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) room-temperature butter
Directions:
Crème Brûlée:
Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Combine milk, cream, tarragon and orange zest in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain tarragon and orange out of the cream and add Cointreau. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Whisk in the warm milk. Pour egg mixture into ramekins. Place in a lasagna pan or other high-rimmed baking pan. Pour hot water around the ramekins. Cover pan with aluminum foil, leaving 1 corner open to let steam escape. Bake ramekins for about 45 minutes. The custard should be set but still wiggly in the middle. To brûlée the custard sprinkle tops with an even layer of sugar. Using a blowtorch, melt the sugar. Keep the flame moving so the sugar doesn’t burn. The goal is an even layer of golden-brown melted sugar that you have to crack to get at the custard. For garnish, remove the leaves from a sprig of tarragon, wet the leaves and toss with plenty of super-fine sugar. Remove from sugar and let dry.
Blackberries Macerated with Tarragon & Ginger:
Combine all ingredients and let sit for an hour or more.
Brown Flour & Tarragon Shortbread:
Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Spread flour on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes until it starts to brown. Stir the flour and return to the oven. Roast for another 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Whip together butter, brown sugar and tarragon. Add flour and mix until combined. On an ungreased baking sheet, form dough into 4” (10 cm) discs about ½” (1.3 cm) thick. Cut discs into 6 wedges and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
To Assemble:
Place 1 Crème Brûlée on a large dinner plate. Place a little sugared tarragon on top. Place a spoonful of the macerated blackberries next to the ramekin. Lean a wedge of the shortbread against the ramekin.
Serves 6
Recipe by Alex Svenne





