Paleo Crème Brulée offers a delightful twist on a classic dessert, making it suitable for those following a paleo diet. This version replaces traditional dairy and sugar with coconut milk and honey, creating a creamy, delicious treat without compromising on flavor or texture. The addition of maple sugar for the caramelized topping provides a unique and satisfying crunch. This easy-to-make dessert is perfect for special occasions or whenever you want to enjoy a refined, paleo-friendly treat.
Benefits of Paleo Ingredients
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is a fantastic dairy substitute that is rich in healthy fats, particularly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are known for their energy-boosting properties. It adds a creamy texture to the custard without causing any digestive issues commonly associated with dairy.
Honey
Honey is a natural sweetener that contains antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. It offers a subtle sweetness to the custard, making it a healthier alternative to refined sugar.
Maple Sugar
Maple sugar is made from dried and granulated maple syrup. It provides a rich, caramel flavor that enhances the overall taste of the crème brulée. Additionally, it contains minerals like manganese and zinc, adding a nutritional boost to your dessert.
Tips for Perfect Paleo Crème Brulée
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 300°F and prepare a large baking pan with a damp kitchen towel at the bottom. This ensures even cooking and prevents the ramekins from sliding. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, which will be used for the water bath.
Making the Custard
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, honey, sea salt, and the seeds from a split vanilla bean. Stir occasionally until the mixture is steaming but not boiling. Remove the vanilla bean before proceeding. In a blender, blend the egg yolks on low speed, then slowly pour the hot coconut milk mixture into the yolks, blending continuously to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Baking
Pour the custard mixture into ramekins and place them in the prepared baking pan. Carefully pour the boiling water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 45-50 minutes, adjusting the time based on the size of your ramekins. The custard should be slightly firm with a slight jiggle in the center. Cool on a wire rack before chilling in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Caramelizing the Topping
Before serving, blot any moisture from the custard surface and sprinkle a thin layer of maple sugar on top. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a crispy, golden-brown crust. If you don’t have a torch, you can use the broiler, but the results may vary. Briefly freeze the ramekins for about 5 minutes to cool them down before serving.
Conclusion
Paleo Crème Brulée is a delightful and elegant dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make. By using coconut milk, honey, and maple sugar, you can enjoy a creamy and delicious treat that fits perfectly into a paleo lifestyle. Whether for a special occasion or a simple indulgence, this paleo-friendly crème brulée is sure to impress with its rich flavors and satisfying crunch. Enjoy this refined dessert guilt-free, knowing it’s made with wholesome, natural ingredients.
Paleo Crème Brulée
Coconut milk replaces dairy in this classic dessert recipe. No worries about gut issues while enjoying your favorite treat. And rather than white sugar as a caramelized topping, use maple sugar instead.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk, canned
- 2 Tbsp Mild Honey
- ½ pinch Sea Salt
- 1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped, reserve bean
- 2 Egg Yolks
- Maple Sugar, or Fine Organic Cane Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line the bottom of a large baking pan with a damp kitchen towel. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- While water is boiling, combine coconut milk, honey, salt, vanilla seeds, and vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, 4-5 minutes, until steam rises, but do not bring to a boil. Discard vanilla bean.
- In the blender (I use the Twister Jar on my Blendtec), add the egg yolks and blend on Low speed for a few seconds. SLOWLY pour hot cream mixture through the hole in the lid of the blender into the yolks, in a very thin stream, blending constantly until all of the milk mixture is incorporated. Go super slow so you don't wind up with scrambled eggs. This may take a minute or two to incorporate all the coconut milk mixture.
- If you don't have a blender, just whisk the eggs in a large bowl and slowly pour in the milk mixture while constantly whisking the eggs.
- Pour the custard into ramekins (size doesn't matter, cook time will depend on ramekin size).
- Place the ramekins on the towel in the baking dish, and place the baking dish on the center oven rack. Carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish halfway up the sides of the ramekins, making sure not to get any water into the custard.
- Bake 45-50 minutes. If you're using the wide, shallow ramekins, you may need a shorter baking time, closer to 30 minutes. Remove from oven when the custard is slightly firm, and still a little jiggly in the center.
- Let cool for about an hour on a wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap and chill 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to serve, blot any moisture off the surface and sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top of each ramekin (I never measure, just not too thick). Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown and caramelize the tops. If you don't have a kitchen torch, place under the broiler for a few minutes, though this method doesn't work nearly as well. Put the ramekins in the freezer for about 5 minutes after torching to get them cool again.
- Serve immediately. If desired, garnish with fresh berries.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 ramekinAmount Per Serving Calories 234Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 92mgSodium 29mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 3gSugar 11gProtein 6g
Shani
Saturday 6th of January 2018
I thought it was absolutely delicious! This recipe made enough for four little ramekins and my husband and I ended up eating all four of them. So tasty! We used regular white sugar for the top since that’s what we had in the cupboard. I loved it and will definitely make it again!!
gil
Thursday 12th of January 2017
Can I make this with a can of coconut cream (trader joes) instead of coconut milk?
Kendra Benson
Thursday 12th of January 2017
Yes, that would work just great. I found the Trader Joe's Coconut Cream after I created this recipe, but have made it with it and it works great.
Jo
Friday 22nd of July 2016
I stumbled upon this while in Pinterest and I never have left a comment until now. You just became my hero. I just started a modified, aka limited Paleo diet per my Chiropracter/Nutritionist. I grew up in Wisconsin and dairy is prized in my family, from cheese, butter, milk, buttermilk, cream, I love it all. My number one dessert is crème brulee. In fact when my sister's and I went to Vegas we raided the buffet of an embarrassing amount of crème brulee and unashamedly took extra to save for breakfast! You just gave me the greatest gift ever, knowing that my number one dessert will in fact not be forever off my list of foods I can eat. And the maple sugar as the topping, mind blown! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can heal my body, have my 'cake' and eat it too!
Liz
Wednesday 23rd of December 2015
I like this better than the real thing!!!
Kelly
Monday 21st of September 2015
Just made it! Good flavor, except kind of runny, but maybe that's because I took it out of the fridge a couple of hours early (had to try it lol).