Masala Tea (Crème Brulee)

Ingredients for Masala Tea (Crème Brulee):

1. Dry fig – 170 gm, after removing stem

    Brandy – 100 milli

    Cinnamon – 1 piece

    Lemon skin – 3 small pieces

    Lemon juice – 1 big spoon

For Crème Brulee:

2. Thick cream – 750 gm

    Green cardamom – 6, crushed

    Cloves – 6

    Cinnamon – 2 pieces

3. Tea powder – 2 big spoons

4. Yellow yolk – 6, from medium-sized eggs

5. Sugar powdered – 3 big spoons

6. Sugar – 2 big spoons

How to prepare Masala Tea (Crème Brulee)?

1. Transfer ingredients no: 1 to a small saucepan and bring to boil.

2. Take it from flame, and allow it to cool.

3. Transfer to a container and close it with a lid tightly.

4. Keep it aside for 24 hours. Occasionally shake the container.

5. Next day, take figs only from the solution and cut into small raisin sized pieces.

6. Strain the juice and add figs back to it.

7. Transfer it to souffle bowls, sized 50-150 milli.  

8. Transfer ingredients no: 2 to a small saucepan and bring to boil.

9. Add tea powder, put off the flame and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

10. Place it back to flame, and before it boils, take from flame again.

11. When it almost settles to cool, strain it and keep aside. This is the cream.

12. Add sugar powder to yellow yolk and beat well.

13. Then add it to cream and mix well.

14. Transfer the contents to a saucepan and place in low flame.

15. Using a thick wooden spoon, keep it stirring.

16. When the custard sticks to the backside of the spoon, put off the flame. It takes approximate 10-12 minutes to reach this consistency.

17. If you feel custard gets overheated, take from flame, and keep stirring. When it cools a little bit, put it back to flame and continue the process if needed.

18. Pour this custard on the top of fig mixture kept in souffle bowls.

19. Allow it to completely cool and then place in refrigerator. You can keep it in refrigerator overnight if possible.

20. Next day, take the souffle bowls out and sprinkle sugar on top as a thick layer.

21. Using blow torch or grill method, caramelize it.

22. Serve when it’s completely cooled.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine, April 1-14, 2023