This article may contain affiliate links.
You don't have to miss out on this custardy dessert anymore! While the traditional recipe contains eggs and dairy, this recipe contains a magical ingredient called Agar-Agar, plant-based gelatin derived from seaweed! It really makes you wonder why we started using animals at all.
This creme brulee is:
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Full of delicious matcha flavors
- Easy to make
- Made without an oven unlike traditional brulee
🍲Ingredients
📃Notes
Be sure to use regular granulated sugar, if you do not have any, try using a blender on cane sugar to make the granules smaller. Be careful you do not blend too far, you'll end up with powdered sugar and that can start a fire. I find the torch does not melt and burn the sugar as well as cane sugars.
Another option is to use a mortar and pestle to grind the sugar down a bit.
🔪Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add the coconut milk and allow it to get hot (not boiling), then add in your matcha.
- Add in the matcha.
- Whisk until smooth, then add in vanilla, maple syrup, & agar agar (add the agar last), and whisk vigorously. The liquid will thicken slightly.
- Once everything is dissolved and smooth, pour evenly into ramekins. For quicker cooling, use shorter/wider ramekins.
- Place in the refrigerator for up to 45 minutes or until cooled and solid. It should be the texture of pudding, just a bit thicker.
- Add your fine sugar granuals evenly on top and using a culinary torch carefully, and evenly burn the sugar on top of the brulee. Be very careful doing this, the sugar is easy to burn, you just want to make it nice and brown. Here is a video on how to do that.
💡Suggestions
- Consume this immediately or if you must up to 3 days. Though it's super good so I don't see how you could just leave it sitting like that, you monster! I'm sorry you're not a monster.
- Make sure you use granulated sugar. Other sugars did not work well for me. If you're concerned about bone char, *I believe the Diamond brand is free of that.
❓FAQ
Yes and no. I'd say traditional crème brûlée is a bit more unhealthy from the ingredients it uses whereas this recipe uses a bit less sugar than traditional. But of course, almost anything sweet is inherently unhealthy for you. I am not a health professional and you should always check with your doctor/HP.
Not really. You could try broiling it in your oven, however, that will take away from the whole aspect of a crème brûlée where it should be cool/cold in the middle and hot on top. I highly recommend investing in a kitchen torch. They're relatively inexpensive!
Traditional crème brûlée takes around 2 hours to make entirely with the tempering and baking. But this vegan crème brûlée uses a one-pot, pour, and refrigerate method that takes less than an hour!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Matcha Crème Brûlée
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 mililiters coconut milk from can
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon agar agar powder
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add in the coconut milk and allow to heat up on medium-low heat. You do not want this to boil.300 mililiters coconut milk from can
- When the coconut milk is heated, add the match and whisk until it is fully dissolved and no lumps remain.1 teaspoon matcha powder
- Then, add vanilla and maple syrup and mix again.½ teaspoon vanilla extract,¼ cup maple syrup
- Next, add in the agar agar. You will want to stir the entire time and whisk until all is dissolved well. You may notice some thickening start to happen.1 teaspoon agar agar powder
- Once it is dissolved and well mixed, immediately pour the liquid into the ramekins.
- Place into refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to allow it to set.
- Once set, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar on top evenly around, and take the torch to burn the sugar. Be careful with this as it will burn easily. You only want it to brown.1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Notes
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Egg and Dairy-free
- No need for an oven
- Coconut milk substitute - You can use any other plant milk that you'd like, I'd personally recommend oat, cashew, or soy. Be aware you may need to add a tiny bit more agar as those options are not as thick.
- No regular sugar? - If you only have cane sugar (or thicker sugars in general), use a blender to grind the granules down further. Bigger granules are hard to melt under a torch and will not put out the same results.
- For quicker cooling - Use shorter and wider ramekins.
- No culinary torch? - Honestly, I don't think it can be done without this. You could try using the broiler in your oven, but it most likely will not turn out the same.
- Sugar substitute - You could try agave or regular cane sugar. I wouldn't recommend sugar substitutes like stevia because the flavor may change. Though don't let me stop you if you want to try it!
Bree
Thank you!!!