Carito Lourenço Matcha so good #34
Matcha Crème Brûlée by Carito Lourenço
Not many restaurants have the ability to work with desserts with a clear sense of purpose and the well-defined personality of a professional. One of the exceptions is Fierro, a restaurant in Valencia (Spain) successfully run by Argentinian chefs Germán Carrizo and Carito Lourenço. Here we find desserts that manage to maintain the narrative thread of the rest of the gastronomic offering while also shining in their own right.
This is the specialty of Carito Lourenço, who prefers to steer clear of overused ingredients such as chocolate and focus on other flavor references that allow her to continue surprising and telling stories to diners, as shown in so good.. magazine 34.
Below we share this exclusive recipe for the Matcha Créme Brûlée that Carito created specifically for her consulting firm Tándem Gastronómico, which she runs with Germán, and which we published in our Spanish-language pastry magazine DPAS issue 514.
“Diego Laso runs Momiji Atelier in Valencia, undoubtedly one of the best Japanese restaurants in the city. A few years ago, he contacted us to revamp his dessert menu. He wanted to offer options that would connect with his cuisine—fresh, balanced, and light—avoiding more common creations like mochi. We worked on four desserts based on top-quality Japanese ingredients to connect with the restaurant’s kaiseki spirit, but with a defined personality. For example, there’s the Yogurt with Adzuki and Rhubarb Jam, the Ginger Flan, or this Créme Brûlée. Back then, matcha tea wasn’t as well-known, and it allowed us to offer a different dessert that was also consistent with that freshness and lightness.
Photos: Sara Castaño
Matcha Créme Brûlée
Serves 10
Matcha Créme Brûlée
- 1400 g 35% fat cream (President)
- 1120 g whole milk
- 420 g sugar
- 560 g pasteurized liquid egg yolk
- 70 g matcha tea powder
In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and sifted matcha tea. Emulsify with a whisk until the ingredients are fully combined.
In a separate bowl, vigorously beat the egg yolks with the sugar until you have a smooth, lump-free mixture. Pour the milk, cream, and matcha mixture over the egg yolks and sugar. Stir well until smooth. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and let it mature in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. After resting, stir again to smooth the mixture. Filter through a fine sieve and divide 130g of the mixture into each plate. If bubbles appear on the surface, lightly blow them out with a blowtorch to remove them before baking.
Place the plates on a tray of water and cover with plastic wrap. Make small slits in the corners of the plastic wrap to allow steam to circulate. Bake at 101°C until the custard has set. Remove the plastic wrap immediately upon removal from the oven to prevent condensation.
Let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly
Remove the plates from the refrigerator and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the top of the crème brûlée and caramelize with a blowtorch until evenly golden and crispy. Serve immediately with a freshly brewed green tea infusion.
Discover these creations by Carito Lourenço in so good.. magazine 34
Corn from Bruno’sgarden
Rice and shochu
Toasted cremona icecream and dulce de
leche with parsnip
