Description
This Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart combines the fragrant, citrusy notes of Earl Grey tea with a creamy, rich custard filling nestled in a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry. Finished with a caramelized sugar topping, this elegant dessert is perfect for tea time or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 40 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 6 g ground Earl Grey tea leaves
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 110 g unsalted butter (chopped small cubes)
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 15–30 ml ice cold water
- 1 egg plus 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
Custard Filling
- 6 large egg yolks
- 70 g caster sugar (superfine)
- 480 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Topping
- 40–60 g caster sugar (superfine, for caramelizing)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Sift the plain flour, powdered icing sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the ground Earl Grey tea leaves and butter, then rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Form the Dough: Stir the beaten egg and ice-cold water into the flour mixture until it starts to come together. Use your hands to bring the dough into a disc shape. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Prepare Tart Shell: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough until it is about the thickness of a coin and approximately 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. Gently lift the dough into a tart tin, pressing it into the sides, and trim any excess. Refrigerate the tart shell overnight.
- Blind Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Dock the tart base with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper.
- Seal the Pastry: Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tbsp milk. Brush the base of the tart with this wash and bake for another 10 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden and fully cooked. Remove from oven and cool completely. Lower oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
- Steep Earl Grey Tea: In a saucepan over low heat, warm the double cream with the two Earl Grey tea bags until steaming with small bubbles. Remove from heat and allow the tea bags to steep for 20 minutes, gently squeezing them occasionally.
- Make Custard: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Remove tea bags from cream, then slowly pour the warm cream into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Pass the custard through a fine sieve into a jug, skimming off any foam.
- Assemble & Bake: Place the tart shell on the oven rack and pour the custard into it, filling nearly to the rim. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for about 40 minutes, until the custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center. Remove and let cool completely, then refrigerate for 2-4 hours to fully set.
- Caramelize Sugar Topping: Evenly sprinkle the remaining caster sugar over the set custard. Using a blow torch, caramelize the sugar until golden brown. For a thicker crust, add another layer of sugar and torch again. Allow the caramelized sugar to cool and harden for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For the Earl Grey tea leaves in the dough, you can grind loose tea leaves or open tea bags and use only the leaves.
- Be gentle when squeezing the tea bags to avoid bitterness in the cream.
- Ensure the pastry is well-sealed before adding custard to prevent sogginess.
- Use a quality blow torch designed for culinary use for best caramelizing results.
- This tart is best served chilled but with the crisp brûlée topping freshly caramelized.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including chilling and rolling time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (blind baking and custard baking)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
Keywords: Earl Grey, Crème Brûlée, Tart, Dessert, Tea Infused, Shortcrust Pastry, Caramelized Sugar
