from the kitchen: Lavender Crème Brûlée

Our Lavender Creme Brulee has long been a favorite on the girl & the fig menu. With a touch of lavender, it's the perfect summertime dessert!

The key to creating our Lavender Crème Brûlée is to pay special attention to the intensity of the lavender. Be sure to use culinary lavender, and remember - the stronger the scent, the shorter the steep time. There is a very delicate line between making a blissful Lavender Crème Brûlée and what tastes like a decadent bath lotion.

Lavender Crème Brûlée Serves 6

2¼ cups heavy cream ¾ cup whole milk 3 to 4 sprigs fresh lavender or 1½ tablespoons dried culinary lavender, plus additional for garnish 8 large egg yolks ½ cup sugar plus about 4 Tablespoons sugar 2 Tablespoons wildflower honey

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and add the lavender. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Let the lavender steep for about 15 minutes or until the milk has a lavender flavor. (For a stronger flavor, allow the lavender to steep longer.)

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, and honey until smooth. Whisk it into the lavender-cream mixture. Strain though a fine-mesh sieve and skim off any foam. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins or brûlée dishes. Set the ramekins in a baking pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until set. (The custards are done when they stop jiggling.) Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool in the water bath for 5 minutes. Refrigerate, covered, for at least three hours or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the tops of the ramekins with a few teaspoons of sugar and caramelize with a small torch or under a broiler set on high.