Desserts

Ube crème brûlée

The crackle of caramel, the silky purple cream melting beneath it: ube crème brûlée plays the finest of contrasts.

One pass of the torch, and dessert becomes a show.

Crème brûlée à l'ube, croûte caramel et crème violette

The perfect contrast

The whole art of crème brûlée lies in the opposition of textures.

Beneath a thin crust of crackling caramel hides a smooth cream, here tinted and flavored with ube. The vanilla sweetness of ube marries the slight bitterness of the caramel. A bistro classic, reinvented in purple.

💜 Did you know?

The cream sets in the oven in a water bath, at low temperature: that's what gives it its silky, lump-free texture.

The recipe

Ube crème brûlée, step by step.

A few ingredients, a little patience, and purple takes on dessert.

Prep15 min
Cook40 min
Total55 min + resting
💼DifficultyIntermediate
🍽Serves4 ramekins
Crème brûlée à l'ube, croûte caramel et crème violette

Ingredients

  • 400 ml heavy cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 70 g sugar
  • 2 tbsp Kinampay ube powder (approx. 20 g)
  • Brown sugar for the caramel

Equipment

  • Ramekins
  • A dish for the water bath
  • A kitchen torch

Preparation

  1. Whisk the yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale.
  2. Heat the cream without boiling, dissolve the ube powder in it, then pour over the yolks while whisking.
  3. Divide among the ramekins and bake in a water bath for 40 minutes at 150 °C: the cream should be set but wobbly.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then sprinkle with brown sugar and caramelize with the torch just before serving.
In the same family

The whole Desserts family

Cheesecakes, cookies, entremets: all the indulgent purple, from one recipe to the next.

The chef's touch

Gentle baking is the key.

Bake in a water bath, at low temperature: the cream should still tremble when it comes out of the oven. Caramelize the sugar at the last moment, otherwise the crackle softens. A thin, even layer of brown sugar makes the best caramel.

👨‍🍳 The chef's tip

No torch? Pass the creams under the oven grill for a few minutes, watching closely.

To avoid

Mistakes to avoid

Three pitfalls for a perfect crème brûlée.

Baking too hotThe cream curdles and turns lumpy. Bake in a water bath, at 150 °C.
Caramelizing too earlyThe caramel softens in the fridge. Torch the sugar just before serving.
A sugar layer that's too thickThe caramel burns before it melts. Spread a thin, even layer.
The ube world

Explore the world of ube

Dessert is just one facet: explore the whole purple universe.

Fancy this purple crème brûlée?

All you're missing is the Kinampay ube powder.

Explore all ube-based recipes

FAQ

Your questions about this recipe.

How do you make an ube crème brûlée?

Mix yolks, sugar and ube cream, bake in a water bath for 40 minutes at 150 °C, refrigerate, then caramelize brown sugar with a torch.

How do you get a crackling caramel?

Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar and caramelize with a torch just before serving.

Does ube crème brûlée contain caffeine?

No, ube is naturally caffeine-free.

Can it be made without a torch?

Yes: pass the ramekins under the oven grill for a few minutes, watching.

Can it be made ahead?

Yes: prepare the creams the day before and caramelize at the last moment.