Coconut Crème Brûlée (Dairy-Free)
With a coconut milk and vanilla base, this dairy-free coconut crème brûlée is sweet, silky, and rich. It's simple to make with just a few simple ingredients and is an impressive-looking dessert that's perfect to serve for any special occasion.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 354kcal
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut milk 13.5oz/400ml
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar + 4-6 teaspoon for topping
- 1 whole vanilla bean seeds and pod
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325° F
- Heat coconut milk and the vanilla seeds and pod in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Lower the heat and keep it at a low simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to steep for another 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Pour the flavored coconut milk through a sieve and into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout.
- While continuously whisking the sweetened egg yolks, slowly pour in the coconut milk. Ensure to scrape out all the vanilla seeds from the bowl. Continue whisking until combined.
- Arrange 4 ramekins in a baking dish and fill each with crème, leaving a ¼ inch at the top. Add hot water to the baking dish, halfway up the ramekins. Carefully transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the centers jiggle slightly. Remove from the water bath and refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of sugar onto each crème brulée. Using a kitchen torch, glaze the sugar until the sugar is melted, caramelized, and a glassy top forms.
- Arrange garnish such as raspberries and mint on top and serve immediately.
Notes
Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.
Chef's tips:
- Vanilla Bean: Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, then scrape the seeds out with the back of a pairing knife. Add both the seeds and vanilla bean pod to the coconut milk.
- Prevent clumps: If you get clumps of yolk after whisking the hot coconut milk into the eggs, pour the mixture through a sieve to remove any bits of egg so you maintain a smooth texture for the dessert.
- Water bath: We recommend placing the baking dish into the oven before pouring the hot water for the water bath. This makes the dish lighter and easier to maneuver so you don't get burned.
- Brûlèe tips: Hold the torch about 3 to 4 inches from the sugar, and maintain a constant, slow, side-to-side or circular motion. If you don't have a torch, you can brûlée the sugar by placing the ramekins on the top rack of a cold oven, turning on to broil for 6-10 minutes, and turning occasionally with tongs, until the sugar is melted and brûléed.
- Make ahead: crème brûlée can be made days in advance, which makes it a wonderful dish to serve for dinner parties. Simply cover the ramekins until ready to serve, then top with the sugar and brûlée when ready to serve.
- Leftovers: leftover crème brûlée can be stored in the fridge, however, the sugar coating will turn to liquid. The result is still delicious and enjoyable but you will not be able to re-brûlée the tops.
- Freezing: crème brûlée that has not been brûléed can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge for 6 or more hours than dust with sugar and torch as in the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 231mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 234mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 4mg