Keto Creme Brûlée

Creme Brûlée is one of my all-time favorite desserts! Before going keto, every time I’d see it on a menu, I just had to order it. I thought it was too complicated to make at home, so I never even tried. I am delighted to tell you that it is very simple, really! This elegant dessert will impress your family and friends. I suggest that if you’re making it for a mixed crowd (some low carbers and some guests that are not), go ahead and make the custards sugar free for everyone. No one will be able to tell the difference, I promise! Then, when it’s time to torch or broil the sugar topping, use LaKanto or another erythritol-based sweetener for your low carb, keto guests and regular sugar for those that do not follow a sugar free diet. Admittedly, the burnt sugar topping made with an erythritol-based sweetener doesn’t have the “hard crack” that is classic. It has a softer crack, but trust me, the burnt sugar flavor combined with the velvety custard is just as delightful and satisfying as a brûlée made in the traditional way. I worked for weeks perfecting this recipe, experimenting and testing. I had to eat a lot of brûlées until I got it just right…but someone had to do it! Enjoy the brûlée of my labors; I think you’ll be pleased.

Keto Creme Brûlée

Makes 6-8 servings (depending on the size of your ramekins)

Custard:

3 cups heavy cream, divided

1/2 cup allulose (*see notes, if you can’t find allulose)

A pinch of salt

4 egg yolks

1 whole large egg

8 drops monkfruit extract or stevia drops

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, not imitation)

Sugar topping:

6-8 teaspoons erythritol-based granulated sweetener (do not use allulose for topping, it doesn’t harden)

1. Boil about 1 to 2 quarts of water, depending on the size of your baking pan, and have it ready to use for the water bath.

2. Preheat oven to 300°F. Adjust the rack to the lower middle position.

3. Add half of the heavy cream (1 and 1/2 cups), allulose and a pinch of salt to a heavy saucepan and turn to medium high. Heat, stirring to dissolve the allulose until you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges and just beginning to simmer. While you are heating the cream mixture, place the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of cream in the refrigerator to stay chilled.

4. As the cream is heating up, place the egg yolks, egg and monkfruit extract or stevia drops to a bowl or large glass measuring cup and whisk vigorously until well combined. (If you do not have vanilla bean paste, add 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the eggs and whisk.)

5. Once the cream is heated, remove from the heat and slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking the eggs the entire time as you add the hot cream. This will temper the eggs so the custards do not “break” or scramble when baked. Add the chilled 1 and 1/2 cups of cream you set aside in the refrigerator and whisk well. Add the vanilla bean paste, if using and, once combined, pour into 6 to 8 ramekins and set inside an oven-safe baking dish. I like to use a 13” x 9” glass Pyrex baking pan but, if you don’t have one, use whatever high-sided baking pan that you have, even a roasting pan will do. Arrange the ramekins so that they are not touching and have a little space between each other.

6. Carefully pour the boiling water in the pan, about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches between 170 to 175°F. (If you are using shallow ramekins or small ramekins, the baking time should be reduced to 20 to 25 minutes.) The custard will slightly jiggle in the center when shaken. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and place on a wire rack. Leave at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight. Once the custards are cooled sufficiently, you may cover them loosely with plastic wrap and return them to the refrigerator, until they are quite chilled and the custard is set.

7. Once ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the erythritol-based sweetener evenly over the top of each ramekin, tilting it from side to side, until a thin layer covers the entire surface. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the erythritol until browned and bubbly. Return the dessert to the refrigerator, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the sweetener has hardened. (If you do not have a kitchen torch, you may broil the brûlées in the oven for a few minutes until the sweetener is browned and caramelized. Because the broiling method heats the entire custard, you may need to cool the ramekins in the refrigerator for longer until the topping hardens and the custard is cool again.)

*Notes: Allulose or Bocha Sweet are the best sweeteners to use in the custard because they do not have the “cooling effect” of erythritol and they will not recrystalize when cooled. If you cannot find either of these products, you may use a powdered erythritol-based sweetener instead, such as Swerve Confectioners or Powdered LaKanto Monkfruit Sweetener. The cooled custard may not be as creamy, but the taste will be similar.

You can purchase a Butane Torch online or at a hardware store (look in the electrical or plumbing section). Follow the directions that come with your torch to fill with butane, which usually must be purchased separately. I bought a small torch at the hardware store (see photo above). It works just as well as a larger Kitchen Torch, although I have to refill it more often if I plan to caramelize more than 3-4 desserts at a time. If you have a large family or guest list, you might be happier with a larger torch. But, since it’s just me and my husband most of the time, the small torch works fine.

Nutritional Information per serving (based on recipe making 6 servings): 446 calories, 4.6g carbohydrate (0 g fiber, 0.3 g sugars, 4 g sugar alcohols), 51 g total fat (29 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 329 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 19.4 mg calcium, 26 mg potassium, 536 IU Vit A, 2.8 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 0.6 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2022

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.