Melt butter in a pan. Add shallot and garlic. Keep it gentle — you want it soft, not brown. Once it smells great, toss in the crab. Stir for a minute, then off the heat.

Grab a bowl. Egg yolks in. Add mustard, lemon zest, salt, pepper, cayenne. Warm the cream (don’t boil it, please). Slowly pour the cream into the egg mix while whisking. Go slow. You don’t want crab scrambled eggs.

If you’re fancy, strain it. If not, it’s fine. Divide the crab mix into ramekins. Pour the custard over, about ¾ full.

Put the ramekins in a tray. Fill the tray with hot water halfway up the sides — yeah, that’s your bain-marie moment. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 25–30 minutes.

When you tap it and it wiggles slightly, it’s done. Don’t overbake — it’s a custard, not cement.

Cool them down. Fridge for a few hours, or overnight if you can stand waiting.

Sprinkle brown sugar. Torch it till it goes golden and glassy. That smell — burnt sugar and crab — it’s weird, but hang on, it grows on you.

Crack the top. That sound. That first spoonful. That’s it. That’s the magic.