Equipment
Ingredients
Infused Cream
- 450 ml heavy cream
- 150 ml whole milk
- 4 whole cloves, lightly crushed
- 10 black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
Butterscotch Base
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 150 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 30 ml water
- 3 g sea salt, flaked
Custard Base
- 6 egg yolks, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 150 Celsius or 300 Fahrenheit. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath later.
In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, lightly crushed cloves, and cracked black peppercorns. Heat over medium until steaming but not boiling, about 85 Celsius or 185 Fahrenheit. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the dark brown sugar, water, and sea salt. Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble and smell deeply caramelized, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully pour the steeped cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer directly into the hot butterscotch to remove the cloves and peppercorns. Whisk continuously until the mixture is smooth and combined. Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, gently whisk the egg yolks and vanilla extract until smooth, being careful not to incorporate too much air.
Slowly ladle the hot butterscotch cream into the egg yolks a few tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Once half the cream is added, pour the rest of the liquid in and whisk until homogeneous.
Divide the liquid custard evenly among 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and carefully pour the boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when tapped gently.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath immediately to stop the cooking process. Let them cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 4 hours before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using dark brown sugar is crucial here; its high molasses content provides a robust backbone that balances the assertive flavors of clove and black pepper.
- Lightly crushing the whole spices instead of using ground spices ensures a clean, smooth custard while still extracting maximum essential oils during the steeping phase.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the peppercorns in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before cracking them to amplify their floral and piney notes.
- To prevent condensation from dripping onto the custards as they cool, drape a clean kitchen towel gently over the ramekins while they come to room temperature.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
