Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart Recipe

Introduction

This Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart combines the delicate floral notes of Earl Grey tea with the rich, creamy texture of classic crème brûlée, all nestled in a buttery shortcrust pastry. It’s a refined dessert that’s perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something special.

Ingredients

• 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• 40 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 6 g ground Earl Grey tea leaves
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 110 g unsalted butter (chopped into small cubes)
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 15-30 ml ice cold water
• 1 egg plus 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
• 6 large egg yolks
• 70 g caster sugar (superfine)
• 480 ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 2 Earl Grey tea bags
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 40-60 g caster sugar (superfine, for the brûlée topping)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Make the dough by sifting the flour, powdered icing sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the ground Earl Grey tea leaves and butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Step 2: Stir the beaten egg and ice cold water into the flour mixture until it starts to come together. Use your hands to bring the dough into a disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Step 3: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about the thickness of a coin and 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. Gently lift it into a tart tin, pressing it onto the sides. Trim off excess dough and refrigerate overnight.
4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Dock the pastry base with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and paper.
5. Step 5: Make the egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the tart base with this wash and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden and firm. Remove and cool completely. Lower the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
6. Step 6: For the filling, heat the cream and 2 Earl Grey tea bags in a saucepan on low until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and steep the tea bags for 20 minutes, squeezing gently occasionally. Remove tea bags carefully.
7. Step 7: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 70 g caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Slowly pour the warm cream into the yolk mixture while whisking. Add vanilla bean paste and stir to combine. Strain the custard through a sieve into a jug, removing any foam.
8. Step 8: Place the tart shell on the oven rack and pour the custard in until nearly at the rim to avoid spills. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 40 minutes or until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
9. Step 9: Cool the tart completely, then refrigerate for 2-4 hours to fully set the custard.
10. Step 10: Just before serving, sprinkle 40-60 g caster sugar evenly over the custard surface. Using a blow torch, caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp. For a thicker crust, add a second layer of sugar and caramelize again. Let the sugar harden for 5 minutes before cracking and serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use quality Earl Grey tea or loose leaves for the best flavor infusion in the custard and pastry.
• If you don’t have a blow torch, place the tart under a very hot grill to caramelize the sugar, watching carefully to avoid burning.
• For a citrus twist, add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest to the custard mixture.
• Blind bake the crust well to prevent sogginess and ensure a crisp base.

Storage

Store the tart in the refrigerator, covered loosely with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. The brûlée topping is best caramelized just before serving to maintain its crisp texture. If stored with the sugar caramelized, the topping may soften. Reheat briefly under a grill or re-torch the sugar to refresh the crust before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the tart in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the crust and custard ahead of time. Blind bake the crust and refrigerate overnight, then bake the custard and chill the tart for a few hours before serving. Caramelize the sugar topping just before serving to keep it crisp.

What can I substitute for vanilla bean paste?

You can use 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste; however, vanilla bean paste adds a richer flavor and those characteristic tiny vanilla seeds for visual appeal.

Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 138 reviews

An elegant Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Tart featuring a crisp sweet shortcrust pastry infused with Earl Grey tea leaves, filled with a silky Earl Grey-infused custard, and topped with a perfectly caramelized sugar crust. This sophisticated dessert combines the fragrant bergamot notes of Earl Grey with classic French custard techniques for a refined treat perfect for tea time or special occasions.

• Author: Daniel
• Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French-inspired
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

• 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• 40 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 6 g ground Earl Grey tea leaves
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 110 g unsalted butter, chopped into small cubes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 15–30 ml ice cold water
• 1 egg plus 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)

Earl Grey Custard Filling

• 6 large egg yolks
• 70 g caster sugar (superfine)
• 480 ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 2 Earl Grey tea bags
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 40–60 g caster sugar (superfine) for topping

Instructions

1. Make the Dough: Sift the plain flour, powdered icing sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the ground Earl Grey tea leaves and chopped butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Form the Dough: Stir in the beaten egg and ice cold water, starting with 15 ml and adding more as needed, until the mixture starts to come together. Use your hands to gently bring the dough into a ball and then shape it into a disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Prepare the Tart Tin: Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a coin and approximately 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter. Carefully lift the dough and fit it into your tart tin, pressing gently onto the base and sides. Trim off excess dough and refrigerate the tart shell overnight to firm up.
4. Blind Bake and Seal: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Dock the base of the tart shell with a fork. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights. Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and 1 tbsp milk. Brush the base of the tart with the egg wash to seal and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes until the pastry looks lightly golden and the base feels firm to touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
5. Steep the Tea in Cream: In a saucepan over low heat, warm the double cream with the 2 Earl Grey tea bags until steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges. Remove from heat and allow the tea bags to steep for 20 minutes, squeezing them gently occasionally to extract flavor without bitterness. Remove and discard tea bags.
6. Prepare the Custard: In a medium bowl, whisk the 6 large egg yolks with 70 g caster sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy. Gradually pour the warm, steeped cream into the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream while continuously whisking to combine smoothly. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a jug to remove any solids or foam.
7. Fill and Bake the Tart: Place the tart shell on the oven shelf and carefully pour the custard filling into the shell up to near the top of the pastry rim to prevent spills. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for about 40 minutes, or until the custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center.
8. Cool and Chill: Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature. Then refrigerate for 2-4 hours until fully set.
9. Caramelize the Topping: Just before serving, sprinkle 40-60 g caster sugar evenly over the custard surface. Using a kitchen blow torch, carefully caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden brown crisp crust. For an extra crunchy top, sprinkle a thin second layer of sugar and torch again until caramelized. Let the sugar harden for 5 minutes before cracking and serving.

Notes

• Grinding Earl Grey tea leaves from loose leaf tea provides a stronger flavor in the pastry than tea bags—use your preference.
• If you do not have pie weights, dried beans or rice can be used for blind baking.
• Be careful not to overheat the cream when steeping; avoid boiling to prevent bitterness.
• Gently squeeze the tea bags rather than forcefully pressing to prevent bitterness in the custard.
• Allow the tart to chill thoroughly after baking to achieve the best custard texture before caramelizing the topping.
• Use a kitchen blow torch for the classic brûlée effect; alternatively, a very hot broiler can be used carefully.

Keywords: Earl Grey, Crème Brûlée, Tart, Earl Grey custard, Shortcrust pastry, French dessert, Tea-infused custard, Caramelized sugar topping