Description
This Earl Grey Creme Brulee Pie is a luxurious dessert featuring a silky smooth custard infused with fragrant Earl Grey tea and vanilla, baked in a chocolate pie crust and topped with a crispy caramelized sugar crust. Perfect for brunch, dinner, or tea-time, it combines elegant flavors with a crunchy texture to impress guests effortlessly.
Ingredients
Scale
Custard
- 1 vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (35%)
- 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea (optional)
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Crust
- 1 pie crust (Mi-del chocolate gluten free pie crust recommended)
Topping and Garnish
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping)
- Fresh berries (for decoration and serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) to prepare for baking the pie.
- Prepare Vanilla and Cream: Slice the vanilla bean pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place both seeds and pod into a medium saucepan. Add the heavy cream and optional Earl Grey tea leaves.
- Heat and Steep: Heat the cream mixture on medium low until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Whisk Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and sea salt until just combined, avoiding any foaming.
- Strain Cream: Remove tea leaves and vanilla pod from the cream by straining. Squeeze any remaining tea flavor from the leaves or bag.
- Combine Cream and Eggs: Gradually add the warm cream into the yolk mixture half a cup at a time, whisking continuously to create a smooth custard.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Place the pie crust on a larger baking pan. If using a crumb crust, pour the custard mixture over a spatula to avoid disturbing the crust.
- Bake Pie: Bake the pie for 35 minutes until the center is set but still slightly jiggly like jello. Remove and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 hours to chill completely.
- Caramelize Sugar Topping: Just before serving, evenly sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar over the pie top. Broil it in the upper oven section until the sugar melts and caramelizes, about 2 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Chill After Broiling: Place the pie in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool the caramelized top and firm the pie for slicing.
- Serve: Crack the sugar crust slightly with the back of a spoon, slice, and serve garnished with fresh berries.
Notes
- The pie has a smooth custard texture with a crunchy, shattering caramelized sugar top.
- Using Earl Grey tea infuses the custard with a delicate bergamot flavor that pairs wonderfully with vanilla and the chocolate crust.
- A chocolate gluten free pie crust adds depth and is suitable for gluten-sensitive eaters.
- If you don't have a broiler, a kitchen torch can be used to caramelize the sugar but may take longer and heat the pie less.
- Be careful not to boil the cream to preserve the delicate flavor infusion.
- Allowing the pie to chill fully before broiling ensures the best texture and easier slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 403 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 145 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 189 mg
