Description
This Vegan Vanilla Crème Brûlée is a rich, dairy-free, and egg-free twist on the classic French dessert. Made with full-fat coconut milk and natural vanilla bean caviar, it delivers the creamy indulgence of traditional crème brûlée but is completely plant-based. The velvety custard is gently baked in a water bath and finished with a caramelized sugar crust for an elegant, guilt-free treat perfect for anyone avoiding dairy and eggs.
Ingredients
Custard
- 5 oz Full-fat Coconut Milk
- 1/3 cup Water
- 5 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Egg Replacer Powder (Ener-G brand recommended)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Organic Cornstarch
- 1/2 Vanilla Bean Caviar (scraped from the inside of a vanilla bean)
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutritional Yeast
- A pinch of Salt
Topping
- Extra Sugar for brûlée-ing (caramelizing on top, about 1-2 teaspoons per ramekin)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325ºF to prepare for baking the custards.
- Blend Ingredients: Place all custard ingredients into a blender and puree for at least 30 seconds until fully combined and smooth with no powdery lumps.
- Heat Custard Mixture: Pour the blended mixture into a small saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Whisk continuously until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or finger, ensuring it does not become chunky. This is important for proper setting.
- Prepare Water Bath: Arrange 4 smaller (2 oz.) or 2 larger (4 oz.) ramekins in a casserole dish. Pour water into the casserole dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins, taking care not to splash inside the ramekins.
- Fill Ramekins: Carefully pour the thickened custard mixture into each ramekin, then place the casserole dish with the water bath into the oven.
- Bake: Bake for 25-35 minutes depending on ramekin size; smaller ramekins require less time. The custard should have a slight jiggle like jelly when gently shaken, indicating perfect set.
- Cool and Chill: Once baked, allow ramekins to cool enough to handle, then transfer to a cooling rack and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to fully set and chill the custard.
- Caramelize Sugar: Before serving, sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons sugar evenly over the top of each chilled custard. Using a culinary torch or broiler, caramelize the sugar until it forms a crispy, golden to light brown crust. If sugar is too coarse to melt easily, pulse it in a dry blender to fine it.
- Serve: Serve the crème brûlée immediately after caramelizing or within 10 minutes to enjoy the signature crunchy top.
Notes
- Ensure the custard thickens adequately before baking to achieve a smooth set texture.
- Use a water bath during baking to gently cook the custard and prevent cracking or drying out.
- Vanilla bean caviar adds natural flavor; substitutes like vanilla extract can be used but with less intensity.
- Caramelizing sugar right before serving is key to preserve the crunchy topping.
- For best results, use an electric stove set to medium-low if heat control is tricky.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
