Have you been looking for an easy crème brûlée recipe to try at home? This is it! Rich, decadent, Lemon and White Chocolate Crème Brûlée sits atop a fresh fig compote that envokes childlike nostalgia with every spoon full. This dessert is reminiscent of the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cups you loved as a kid, but with a mature dessert spin for your sophisticated palate. 

How to make the fresh fig compote for this easy crème brûlée recipe.

This easy crème brûlée recipe is rich and heavy just like crème brûlée should be. However, my personal flavor palette needs a vibrant burst of flavor to cut through decadent sweet treats like that so that I can fully enjoy them. This fresh fig compote does just that.

Prep 1 pound of fresh figs.

Wash and dry figs. Remove the stems and slice them in half lengthwise.

Combine ingredients and bring to a boil.

In a small saucepan, combine the prepared figs, orange zest, port wine, sugar, and the vanilla bean. Bring to a boil covered. Uncover, stir and boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Simmer to perfection.

Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the figs have broken down. Remove from the heat and add a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then allow to cool.

Serve at room temperature. Store any leftover compote in the fridge bringing it back to room temperature before serving.

What ingredients are needed to make this easy crème brûlée recipe?

You don’t need a ton of ingredients to make this easy crème brûlée recipe, but you do need to make sure the ingredients you use are top-notch. When cooking recipes that call for minimal ingredients, you better bet their flavor really shines through in the finished dish.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this easy crème brûlée recipe.

• egg yolks
• lemon zest
• heavy cream
• white choclate
• vanilla
• sugar
• salt

While it may take a minor time investment to make this Fresh Fig Compote and Easy Crème Brûlée recipe from start to finish the process is actually easy.

Looking for more delicoius ways to cook with fresh figs? Keep scrolling for some of our favorite fresh fig recipes!

Berry Fig Tart

Our friend Irvin of Eat the Love developed this tart recipe with a California walnut studded crust that is baked to perfection, then filled with honey-spiked goat cheese, and topped with peak season blackberries and sultry fresh figs. Get ready to indulge all of your senses with a slice!

Fig, Pistachio, and Honey Goat Cheese Bites

These gorgeous little tapas from This Mess is Ours are super easy to make, only take about 10 minutes from start to finish, and most importantly they are the perfect little honey-drenched bite for date night in. 

Fresh Figs with Date Caramel, Dark Chocolate + Pistachios

100% of the commercially grown fresh figs in the U.S. are from California, literally right in GFree Foodie’s backyard! This means she has plenty of access to fresh figs in the summer and knows a thing or two about how to eat them.

FYI, this date caramel/dark chocolate/pistachio/flaky salt combo is a top pocket find as it is also delicious on sliced rounds of fresh apple or strawberries too.

Share your fresh fig creations with us by snapping a pic and tagging us on social using #CAGROWN. 

Craving more CA Grown goodness? Follow us on Pinterest for fresh and fabulous recipe inspiration!

An Easy White Chocolate & Lemon Crème Brûlée recipe with Fresh Fig Compote

Meg van der Kruik

This easy crème brûlée recipe is rich, decadent, and easy to make! It is reminiscent of the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cups you loved as a kid, but with a mature dessert spin for your sophisticated adult palate. 

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Time to make the fresh fig compote: 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Equipment

• electric mixer
• ramekins
• kitchen torch or broiler

Ingredients

  

For the Fresh Fig Compote

• 1 pound fresh figs stems removed, halved lengthwise
• zest of 1 Cara Cara orange
• 2 tablespoons port wine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean seeds removed from the pod
• pinch of salt

For the Easy White Chocolate & Lemon Crème Brûlée

• 6 egg yolks
• zest of 1 small lemon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4.4 ounce bar white chocolate chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or half a vanilla bean, seeds removed from the pod.
• 4 tablespoons fresh fig compote

Crème Brûlée topping

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

 

For the Fresh Fig Compote

• Combine the prepared figs, zest, port, sugar, and the vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil covered. Then uncover, stir and boil for 1 minute longer, stirring occasionally.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the compote has thickened and the figs have broken down, take it off the heat and add the salt. Stir to combine.
• Allow to cool to room temperature before using.

For the Easy White Chocolate & Lemon Crème Brûlée

• Preheat the oven to 325 F.
• Place 4 ramekins into a small roasting or baking pan.
• Add the eggs, zest, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt to a large bowl, whisk until well mixed and creamy. Stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Add chopped white chocolate to a medium bowl.
• Add the heavy cream to a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir and heat until hot and slightly simmering, do not boil.
• Remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate, let sit for 1 minute, then stir until fully combined and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla beans.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, slowly mixing until fully combined.
• Use a spoon to scoop and discard any foam that has accumulated on top.
• Place 1 tablespoon of the prepared fig compote in the bottom of each ramekin. Evenly divide the crème brûlée mixture between the 4 ramekins on top of the compote.
• Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. When the crème brûlée is done, it will look set but will still have a slight jiggle in the middle.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven and allow the crème brûlée to cool in the pan. Once cooled, remove ramekins from the roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before serving.
• When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to temp for 30 minutes. Sprinkle half a tablespoon of sugar over the top of each ramekin and use a torch to melt the sugar to form a crispy sugar layer.

  If you do not have a torch, broil the crème brûlée in the oven to melt the sugar, but keep a close eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn.
• Allow the crème brûlée to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

A note about the fresh fig compote:

This part of the recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

This recipe was inspired by a dessert served at Trelio, one of our favorite farm to table restaurants in the Central Valley! You’ll definitely want to plan a visit to Trelio to experience their amazing menu and wine selections for yourself (and don’t forget to tell Chris that we sent you). In the meantime, you’ll have to make due with our take.

Keyword figs, lemon, real california dairy, white chocolate

Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!

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Frequently asked questions about fresh figs.