Lilac Crème Brûlée

This lilac crème brûlée is silky, luxurious, and subtly scented with the aroma of fresh lilac flowers and real vanilla beans. It’s a beautiful way to use lilacs for the short window of time that they’re in bloom.

Lilac and vanilla bean is a dreamy combination, and one of my favorite flavor combos. (Case in point: I also leaned into this ethereal dream team for my Vanilla Lilac Snickerdoodles). I love that the vanilla beans complement, but don’t outshine, the subtle flavor of lilac flowers. And the perfect vessel for this flavor palette is a light, creamy custard!

Before I even knew what crème brûlée was, I was making dozens of them daily for a fine dining restaurant at my first real baking job. We would bake full sheet pans full of them, and I remember loving the challenge of pulling a heavy tray full of hot water and perfectly baked custards out of the oven every morning.

I fell in love with this simple yet elegant dessert, and crème brûlée is one of my favorite desserts to this day. At this point, I’ve made more flavor variations than I can count, and I’ve loved them all. The custard is the perfect vehicle for infusing with any flavor you can dream up. Right up there with Fig Leaf Brûlée, this lilac brûlée is one of my very favorite flavors ever.

Making the lilac sugar

The key ingredient in this recipe is lilac sugar. This is the primary way that we’ll infuse the crème brûlée with lilac flavor.

To make lilac sugar, all you need to do is combine equal parts granulated sugar with fresh lilac flowers. There are two ways you can do this, depending on how much time you have. With either method, you’ll want to start by first removing lilac flowers from their stems. Then, give the flowers a gentle wash and leave them on a towel-lined sheet pan to dry.

Next, choose your method for making lilac sugar:

Option 1: Instant lilac sugar. Process cleaned lilac flowers with sugar in a food processor until the flowers are completely broken down. You can use this sugar immediately for this recipe.

Option 2: 24-48 hour lilac sugar. Layer flowers and sugar in alternate layers in a large clean glass jar, starting and ending with sugar. Put a lid on the jar and give it a good shake. Place the lilac sugar in a dark cupboard for a day or two, shaking the jar a few times as it sits. Once the sugar is infused with lilac flavor, you can use it for this recipe. Strain out the flowers before using.

Note: If you aren’t going to use the lilac sugar right away, I highly recommend drying the sugar out so it doesn’t ferment. Pour the sugar in a thin layer onto a sheet pan and place it in your oven on the lowest heat setting until completely dry. If you have a food dehydrator, you could use that instead. Once it’s dry, break up the clumps with your fingers or a food processor and store the lilac sugar in a jar in a dark cupboard.

Lilac crème brûlée tips

The trickiest part about making crème brûlée is knowing when to pull it out of the oven. It requires a low, gentle heat to cook the custard slowly without curdling the eggs. Follow my top tips below for creme brulee success.

When making the custard:

• Heat the cream gently. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges, being careful not to boil it.
• Temper the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks, lilac sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Start by adding only about 1/2 cup of warm cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking together. Then, pour the remaining cream in and whisk to combine well. This tempering step ensures the eggs don’t curdle.
• Distribute the mixture evenly. Try to distribute the custard mix evenly between the ramekins so that they’re all done at the same time.
• Eliminate air bubbles. You can use a culinary torch to get rid of any air bubbles on the tops of the custards before baking. Wave the flame swiftly and briefly over the tops of the custard until the bubbles are gone.

When baking the brûlées:

• Bake at low heat. 300° F is best.
• Use a hot water bath. This helps to distribute the heat evenly and keeps the oven moist, creating a silky-smooth custard texture. Very carefully pour hot water into the baking dish until water comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash any water into your custards!
• Remove from the oven when they’re still a little jiggly. Bake until crème brûlée is mostly set but the centers still jiggle lightly when you tap the side of the ramekin.
• Chill thoroughly. Allow the brûlées to completely cool after baking to ensure they set properly. First, let them cool down at room temperature. Then, chill them in the refrigerator until cold and set.

After the custards are fully cooled, it’s time for the most fun part – torching the sugar layer on top! Be sure to let the caramelized sugar cool before digging in. That way, the sugar has time to set into a crispy, shatterable crust. Plus, you won’t burn your mouth!

Did you try this lilac crème brûlée? Let me know in the comments!

If you’re looking for more lilac dessert recipes, check these out:

• Lilac Sugar
• Lemon Lilac Butter Cake
• Vanilla Lilac Snickerdoodles