Honey-Kissed Lavender Crème Brûlée

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place four 4-ounce ramekins in a large baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, honey, and dried culinary lavender. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to simmer around the edges. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.

Strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the lavender. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually temper the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins, reaching about halfway up their sides. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each chilled crème brûlée. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.