Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • ¼ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • ½ tsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Chives, finely chopped
  • 8 oz Jumbo Lump Crab Meat, drained
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter (for greasing)
  • 4 tbsp Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to a gentle 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease the inside of the 4 ramekins with the unsalted butter.
  2. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat until steam is visible around the edges, but do not boil. Remove from heat immediately.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the salt, pepper, Old Bay, and cayenne until just combined and slightly paler.
  4. Temper the Yolks: Slowly drizzle about one-third of the warm cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Once combined, pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining cream in the saucepan. Stir well.
  5. Pour the entire custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This removes any cooked egg bits. Stir in the lemon zest and chives.
  6. Gently fold in the drained jumbo lump crab meat. Be careful not to break up the lumps too much.
  7. Divide the crab custard evenly among the prepared ramekins.
  8. Set Up the Bain-Marie: Place the filled ramekins into a deep baking dish. Carefully pour hot tap water into the baking dish, ensuring the water level comes at least halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  9. Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the edges are set and the very centre still has a slight, wobbly jiggle.
  10. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool completely to room temperature (about 1 hour).
  11. Once cool, cover lightly and transfer them to the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally, overnight.
  12. Just before serving, remove the chilled custards. Pat the top surface dry with a piece of kitchen paper.
  13. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of caster sugar evenly over the top of each chilled custard, ensuring the surface is completely covered.
  14. Using a kitchen torch, move the flame quickly and steadily over the sugar until it melts and turns a deep amber-brown colour, creating a crisp, brittle shell. Allow the crust to set for 1 minute before serving.