1. Pre-heat oven to 170 deg C.
2. Grease the ramekins lightly. Set them on a deep baking pan.
3. In a bowl crack the eggs and whisk them lightly.
4. Heat milk in pan and stir in the sugar till the sugar dissolves and the milk just starts bubbling.
5. Take the pan off heat and add the tea leaves. Cover pan and set it aside to steep for 10 minutes.
6. Strain the mixture and pour the milk into the bowl with the eggs.
7. Keep whisking while pouring taking care that the eggs don’t scramble.
8. Squeeze out the juices from the ginger paste through a sieve and into the custard. Discard the pulp.
9. Add vanilla and stir to mix.

Make the Caramel

1. Set the custard aside.
2. Stir the sugar, lemon juice and water together in a pan over medium heat.
3. Stop stirring the moment the mixture starts to bubble.
4. Let the mixture foam, sputter and froth all it wants but make sure you don’t take your eyes off it. The caramel will become golden at first and then very quickly thicken into a slothy amber syrup.
5. Take it off the heat immediately and carefully pour into the ramekins to coat their bottoms. Be careful – this is boiling sugar we’re talking about.

Assemble the pudding

1. Pour the custard over the layers of caramel to fill the ramekins 2/3 of the way.
2. Pour boiling water into the deep baking dish so that the water comes about half-way up to the sides of the ramekins.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
4. To check if the puddings are done give them a quick shake – the centres should still wobble a good deal. Touch the surface of a pudding lightly with the tip of your index finger and if it doesn’t break away, then they’re done.
5. Cool the ramekins on a rack and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
6. To serve, just run a sharp knife along the edge to loosen the pudding and quickly turn over on a plate.
7. This crème caramel doesn’t really need adornments but you could add a few pieces of crystallized ginger if you want.