Moroccan Burnt Honey Crème Caramel

Name: Moroccan Burnt Honey Crème Caramel
Yield: Fills a tin of approximately 2.6 L
Ingredients: 300 g Honey; 60 ml Water; 10 ml Lemon juice; a pinch, optional Salt; 1.2 L Full cream milk; 400 ml Fresh cream; 10 each Egg yolks; 6 each Whole eggs; 220 g Castor sugar; 80 g Honey; 1 each Vanilla pod, or paste; 10 ml to 15 ml Orange blossom water; a small pinch, steeped Saffron; 1 g Fine salt

Burnt Honey Caramel · Orange Blossom · Saffron · Vanilla

The caramel is burnt honey rather than sugar, which gives a deeper, floral bitterness. The custard under it is silky and infused with orange blossom, saffron and vanilla.

Fills a tin of approximately 2.6 L

Cook this

You are after bitter-sweet complexity in the honey, not sweetness. Watch it closely: there is a narrow window between deep amber and burnt too far.
Chef Paul Dukai

Ingredients

Burnt honey caramel

Honey300 g
Water60 ml
Lemon juice10 ml
Salta pinch, optional

The custard

Full cream milk1.2 L
Fresh cream400 ml
Egg yolks10 each
Whole eggs6 each
Castor sugar220 g
Honey80 g
Vanilla pod, or paste1 each
Orange blossom water10 ml to 15 ml
Saffrona small pinch, steeped
Fine salt1 g

Method

The burnt honey caramel

Place the honey in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.
Allow it to foam, darken and deepen in colour. This is where the flavour is built.
Once it reaches a deep amber, slightly smoky stage, carefully add the water and lemon juice. It will bubble aggressively.
Stir gently and reduce slightly until it is a light syrup.
Pour it into the tin immediately and tilt to coat the base evenly.

The custard

Heat the milk and cream with the vanilla, the saffron pre-steeped in a tablespoon of warm milk, the orange blossom water, the honey and the salt.
Bring to just below a simmer, then take it off the heat and let it infuse for 10 to 15 minutes.
Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together without incorporating much air.
Temper the warm infused milk into them slowly.
Strain the custard through a fine sieve. This is what gives the ultra-smooth texture.

Baking and setting

Pour the custard gently over the set burnt honey caramel in the tin and tap lightly to release air bubbles. Cover with foil.
Bake at 150°C in a bain-marie: the tin in a deep tray, with hot water halfway up the sides.
Bake for 60 to 90 minutes. It is ready when the edges are set, the middle is soft and there is a slight wobble in the centre.
Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.
To unmould, run a thin knife around the edges, warm the base briefly in warm water or with a torch, and invert onto a large tray.

Chef’s notes

Texture targets: the custard silky and tremble set, never rubbery. The caramel fluid and deep, not overly sticky. A slice holds its shape and melts on the tongue.
A citrus glaze finish: reduce orange juice with a touch of honey and orange blossom, and brush it lightly over the top.
A textural garnish: crushed toasted almonds or pistachios, candied orange peel, and a very small amount of edible rose petal.

The finish

One slice of the creme caramel.
The burnt honey caramel pool spooned under and around it.
Pistachio dust scattered lightly.
Two or three compressed orange segments.
A honeycomb shard, for height.

Keeping

Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours before unmoulding, and preferably overnight. After that, keep it covered at 5°C or below and use it within 3 to 4 days. The second half of that is DUKAI storage guidance for a cooked egg custard.

Allergens and diet

Milk. Eggs. Nuts, if the optional nut garnish is used.

Last refined · September 2026