No Blow Torch Brûlée Hack

How to Make a Perfect Hard Sugar Topping & Caramel Chai

Want that beautiful brûlée crust without a blow torch? This method works for lemon possets, crème brûlée, and other puddings. Plus, I’ll show you how to repurpose stubborn hard sugar into a delicious caramel chai!

Ingredients:

Hard Sugar Topping Recipe

• 200g granulated sugar (or refined white sugar/caster sugar)

• 100ml water (or 100g water)

• ½ tsp vinegar (white vinegar or distilled malt vinegar)

Caramel Chai Recipe

• 6–7 cardamom pods

• 4 cloves

• 3–4 black tea bags

• 160ml Rainbow cardamom evaporated milk (or milk of choice)

• Sugar to taste

Method For Hard Sugar:

1. Add sugar, water, and vinegar to a pot. Do not stir! Below is a picture of the vinegar I used.

2. Heat on medium-low for about 20 minutes, without touching it.

3. Once it turns a deep amber colour, remove from heat. The foam will settle.

4. Pour over your pudding and swirl to coat the top.

5. If you need to keep the caramel liquid, place the pot back on low heat.

Pro Tips:

• To keep the sugar hard, cover it with cling film to avoid air exposure.

• If adding fruit, do so just before serving, as moisture can melt the sugar.

• If storing in the fridge, keep the pudding covered

I had to make mine ahead for Eid gatherings, and it stayed hard for 4+ hours!

How to Clean the Pot (or Make Caramel Chai!)

Option 1: Cleaning the Pot

• Fill the pot with water and heat until the sugar dissolves.

• Stir, let it cool and pour down the drain.

Option 2: Caramel Chai Recipe

Method:

1. Add cardamom, cloves, tea bags, and water to the pot.

2. Heat on medium-low for 10 minutes, or until it starts to boil.

3. Pour in evaporated milk and bring to a boil again.

4. Strain the tea and adjust sweetness—you might need to add more sugar!

And that’s it! Easy peasy Lembu squeezy!

Let me know if you try this method!