So here you are: stuck at home when everybody’s out. You wish you can go out for drinks, but the weekday stress has knocked you out like a shot of absinthe. (That, by the way, isn’t the proper way to chug it.)

Take the domestic route tonight, and cook up a dessert to end your week. Forget speakeasy crawls, and remember the calamansi you stored in your fridge? You can use them to add a sour kick to a milky favorite: the ever-so-easy crème brülee.

Calamansi Crème Brülée

Ingredients
Calamansi
Cornstarch
5 egg yolks
3 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preparation
For the calamansi gel

1. In a hot pan, heat the calamansi juice then add sugar.
2. In a bowl, combine water and cornstarch. Mix well until thick.
3. Pour the water and cornstarch mixture into the pan with the calamansi juice and sugar. Mix until it reaches a gel-like texture. Set aside.

For crème brûlee:
1. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.
2. In a hot pot, pour the heavy cream. While heating it up, prepare your crème anglaise. Whisk and egg yolks in a separate bowl.
3. Turn off the heat, and gradually pour a quarter of the heavy cream into the bowl of crème anglaise. Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.
4. Pour the rest of the heavy cream into the bowl and mix.
5. In a small ramekin, pour the calamansi gel first, then the crème anglaise mixture.
6. Prepare a baking pan, and fill half of it with water. Then place the ramekins.
7. Put it in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes.
8. Add sugar on top, and toast it with a blowtorch.
9. Add calamansi zest and enjoy!

Source: Charlie Carbungco for Northern Living, “Sprightly Confection,” September 2015.

Photo by Gabby Cantero