Thai Tea Crème Brûlée Croissants

Ingredients

• 6 large croissants (freshly baked or high-quality store-bought)
• 1.5 cup Thai tea pastry cream (chilled; made with Thai tea leaves, milk, egg yolks, and sugar)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream (whipped to stiff peaks to lighten the custard)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for the caramel glaze)
• 0.25 cup water (to dissolve the sugar for caramelization)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the caramel glaze by heating the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves and turns into a deep golden amber caramel.

2. 2

   Carefully dip the top surface of each croissant into the hot sugar glaze. Set them aside on a wire rack or parchment paper to allow the sugar to harden into a crisp, glass-like shell.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, take your chilled Thai tea pastry cream and gently fold in the whipped heavy cream until smooth and lightened. This creates the diplomat cream filling.

4. 4

   Transfer the Thai tea cream mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small round or Bismarck tip.

5. 5

   Using a small knife or the piping tip itself, make a small hole in the side or bottom of each glazed croissant.

6. 6

   Pipe the Thai tea filling generously into each croissant until you feel it expand and become heavy. Serve immediately while the topping is crunchy.

Notes

For the best results, use Thai tea leaves (like ChaTraMue brand) to steep your milk when making the initial pastry cream to get that signature orange color and floral aroma. If the caramel hardens too quickly in the pan, return it to low heat for a few seconds to remelt.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• fusion
• thai tea
• croissant
• creme brulee
• pastry
• sweet
• baking