Matcha Crème Brûlée with Sweet Red Bean

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 °C (fan 140 °C) for 10 min. Set the ramekins (you need 2, about 120 ml each) in a deep roasting tin lined with a tea towel. Spoon the red bean paste into the bottom of each and press it flat with the back of a wet spoon. Put the kettle on.

   Add in this stepSweet red bean paste (anko, chunky or smooth) 2 tbsp

   oven

2. Heat the cream and milk in a 16 cm saucepan on medium heat for 4 min, until steaming with tiny bubbles around the edge, then turn off. Don't let it boil: boiled cream dulls the matcha's colour.

   Add in this stepDouble or heavy cream (at least 35% fat) 200 mlWhole milk 50 ml

   medium heat

3. Sift the matcha into a bowl, add the sugar and salt and whisk well; the sugar crystals break up the fine powder so it won't clump. Add the yolks and whisk into a smooth green paste, then pour in the hot cream in a thin stream, whisking all the time.

   Add in this stepMatcha powder 2 tspCaster sugar (for the custard) 45 gSalt 1 pinchEgg yolks 2

4. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug and skim off the foam. Pour the custard slowly over the back of a spoon onto the red bean layer so the two layers stay separate. Pour hot water into the tin to halfway up the ramekins.

5. Carefully slide the tin into the oven and bake for 32 min, until the edges are set and the centre wobbles like jelly (about 80 °C in the middle). If it still ripples like liquid, give it 5 more minutes.

   oven

6. Lift the ramekins out, cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then cover and chill for at least 2 h.

7. Just before serving, blot the surface dry, sprinkle the caramel sugar evenly and tip out the excess. Torch from 5 cm away, keeping the flame moving, for about 2 min in total, until deep amber. No torch: set them right under a fully preheated oven grill for 3 min, watching closely. Let it set for 2 minutes before serving.

   Add in this stepCaster sugar (for the caramel top) 3 tsp