Homemade Crème Brûlée (Sugar-free)
Homemade Crème Brûlée (sugar-free) is the quintessential dessert for a romantic evening or special celebration.Low-carb and keto, this creme brulee recipe uses just 4 ingredients to make an irresistible custard treat with a sweetened, caramelized crispy top you and your partner can return to after a night out.Low-Carb, Sugar-free Keto4g net carbs/serving
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Whipping Cream
- 3 Egg yolks
- 4 tbsp Monk Fruit or your choice of sweetener
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Hot Water for water bath
- 3 tsp Monk Fruit for caramelized shell
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325F, set 6 (4oz) ramekins in a baking dish, boil water in a kettle, and let it sit while you make the creme brulee.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sweetener and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
- Warm the whipping cream in a small saucepan uncovered on medium heat until bubbles form on the surface.Alternatively, you can heat the cream in a 2-cup microwaveable measuring cup for 2-3 mins stirring every minute until it bubbles.
- Remove the cream from the heat and let it sit on the counter to rest for 30 seconds for the hot bubbles in the cream to settle. Slowly drizzle the warm cream into the egg mixture, stirring continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. If lumps form, strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or spouted vessel for easy pouring.
- Evenly pour the prepared custard into the ramekins. Fill the ramekins halfway first, then top them up evenly at an equal level.
- Pour the hot water from the kettle into the baking dish around the ramekins and stop when it reaches halfway up their sides. This ensures the egg and cream are cooked together evenly into a silky spoonable texture and prevent a sweet scrambled result.
- Carefully place the baking dish in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 30 minutes. The custard will be ready when the centres jiggle a little, and the sides are dry and firm.Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water bath for 5-10 minutes to cook more if the custard is too wobbly. Transfer the brulees to a wire rack to cool down further, then chill them in the fridge until it’s time to caramelize the tops.
Two ways to Caramelize the Creme Brulee
- Kitchen Torch: Sprinkle ½ tsp sweetener over the tops of the custard base and use a culinary torch to caramelize the sweetener. Move the torch around the tops continuously to char the sweeteners evenly. This is best done in a ventilated room.
- Oven broiler: Sprinkle ½ tsp sweetener over the tops of the custard base. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and set it 4-5 inches under a broiler on low heat for about 40 seconds or until the tops have browned. Keep an eye on them as the tops burn quickly. When a few start char, switch off the broiler and let the ramekins sit under the heat until the sweetener has caramelized.
- Cool the Creme Brulees on a wire rack, then transfer them to the fridge. Serve chilled.
Notes
Storage and Freezing
- To Store: Transfer the chilled creme brulee (with or without the caramelized surface) into a covered container and refrigerate for 4-5 days. To freeze: Bake the custard base as directed in the ramekins, then when they are chilled, place them in an airtight freezable container, covered for up to one month. To thaw: Remove the creme brulees from the freezer, refrigerate them overnight, and then caramelize them when you want to enjoy them.
Helpful tips to make the best sugar-free Crème Brûlée
- Whisking the egg, sweetener and vanilla extract until it becomes smooth and runny helps to prevent lumps from forming when you gradually pour the warm cream into it.
- Whisk the egg mixture continuously while drizzling the cream to make the custard silky and smooth.
- The water bath method, also known as Bairn-Marie, is a must for making delicious creme brulees. A keto version such as this recipe is no exception, the sweetener and cream work the same way in achieving a smooth custard texture to avoid the custard mixture from becoming scrambled.
- I nailed testing the recipe from the get-go (another pat on the back) because I immediately cut back on the sweetener for the custard, knowing that I typically add too much sweetener when testing a recipe for the first time.
- The caremelized sweetened top doesn't need too much sweetener to caramelize. Just a thin layer is enough to get that crispy top. Otherwise, the creme brulee can be too sweet for some people.
- Using a kitchen torch or putting the ramekins under a broiler helps to caramelize the sweetener for a hard-shelled top.