Chef notes

Creme brulee served inside a real lemon. You hollow out lemon halves and use them as little bowls, which gives the custard extra lemon flavor. The best part is that I got to use a real blowtorch to melt the sugar on top. It turns into a hard candy shell, and cracking it open with a spoon is so satisfying.

Ingredients

• Lemons
• Heavy cream
• Egg yolks
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract

Recipe

1. 1.Cut lemons in half the long way and scoop them out completely. Save the juice, and keep the empty shells to use as the bowls.
2. 2.Warm the heavy cream with lemon zest so the lemon flavor steeps in.
3. 3.Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale, then slowly whisk in the warm cream so the eggs don't scramble. Stir in a little of the lemon juice and vanilla.
4. 4.Set the lemon shells in a baking dish, fill them with custard, and pour hot water around them.
5. 5.Bake at 300°F until the custard is just set with a little jiggle in the middle, about 30 minutes. Chill for a couple of hours.
6. 6.Sprinkle an even layer of sugar on top of each one and torch it until it turns deep amber and gets hard and crunchy.

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