Chocolate Chai Crème Brulee

A twist on a classic, this chocolate chai crème Brulee recipe is made with an easy creamy custard base and finished with a caramelized sugar topping.

Crème Brulee is one of those recipes that I think people are intimidated by because of it’s fancy name but really it’s pretty easy to make if you have the right tools.

Much like homemade caramel…I remember the first time I made it in culinary school I was mind blown.  “That’s it?!  Why have I waited all this time to make this?”.

Classic crème Brulee is made with just a few simple ingredients; it’s basically just a custard that’s baked until set, topped with a little granulated sugar & torched until caramelized and hardened.

You can use a kitchen torch or simply make the creme brulee without a kitchen torch by using the broiler setting on your oven!

Simply easy yet sooooo delicious.

This crème Brulee recipe is made with that classic creamy custard base with a hint of dark chocolate and warm chai spices.  It’s silky smooth with a little oomph .

I know my obsession with crème Brulee is the contrasting textures: that hard and crispy sugar topping that breaks with every spoonful paired with that velvety creamy center (oh yeah, talk to me baby!).

Chocolate Chai Creme Brulee Ingredients:

• Egg yolks
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream
• Semisweet (or dark) chocolate chips
• Salt
• Chai Spice (cardamom, clove, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cinnamon)

How to make easy chocolate chai creme brulee?

1. Mix egg yolks with sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale yellow and slightly thickened.  Set aside.
2. Heat cream and chai spices in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until cream is hot.  Remove from heat; add vanilla and chocolate chips, stir until smooth and melted.
3. Slowly and gradually pour 1/4 cup of the cream mixture into the egg mixture making sure to whisk while you pour it in.  Add a little more of the cream, while still whisking, then pour remaining cream and whisk to combine (skim off foam layer).
4. Divide custard filling into your ramekins, then place ramekins in a glass or oven proof baking dish.  
5. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish until it’s about 1/2 way up the sides of the ramekins.
6. Bake 35-45 minutes or until center is set (it should be slightly jiggly).
7. Carefully remove baking dish from oven and remove ramekins to a cooling rack.  Cool to room temperature then transfer to refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
8. Once chilled, blot tops of each ramekin of excess moisture with a paper towel or napkin.
9. Evenly spread a thin layer of granulated sugar over the tops (swirl around to evenly cover).  Using a kitchen torch, heat the sugar until it slightly bubbles and caramelizes.  Cool about 2 minutes until hardened and serve.

What You need to make creme brulee:

• Ramekins (affiliate link)
  • I used 4, 6 ounce ramekins but if you’re using 4 ounce ramekins it will make about 6.
• Kitchen Torch (affiliate link)
  • You could also use your broiler setting on the oven to caramelize the sugar topping, but I find a kitchen torch easier (and cooler!) to use because you can control the heat and be sure not to burn the sugar.
• Tea Kettle
  • Not 100% mandatory but it does make it MUCH easier when pouring the boiling water into the baking dish because of the spout!