This recipe is the result of doing some brand work with a client. I was asked to create a vegan creme brulee using the steam and grill function on the new Panasonic combination steam microwave. I must admit I was terrified when I was given this brief because coming up with a vegan alternative to creme brulee that can also be steamed is really really hard without the use of eggs!! I honestly lost sleep over trying to figure out how to make this recipe work but I did! The recipe works only because of the addition of agar powder. The recipe would not work without it so do not skip the agar! Agar requires heating and cooling in order to set the mixture with a jelly/custard-like texture. Agar doesn’t need to be steamed, but it does require heating to a boil for at least 2 minutes to activate. I appreciate that not everyone has this special microwave so as I share this recipe I will share a different way to steam the creme brulee and also an alternative that does not require steaming. A steamed creme brulee is a fun traditional way to make a creme brulee that makes me feel very fancy but it is not strictly necessary.
If you are interested in an all-in-one machine that can make this entire recipe please check out this link for the Panasonic Microwave Steam Oven https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/panasonic-27l-1000w-4-in-1-flatbed-convection-oven-black-nn-ds59nbqpq (the steam function is absolutely amazing for making baby food and I wish I had this when my little boy was a baby). Please also view the reel on my Instagram on how to make this creme brulee with the microwave.
The other thing that made this recipe hard for me was that I don’t think I have ever tasted a real creme brulee, so I was unsure if I could replicate it well enough. Luckily I remembered a dessert my mum used to make as a kid. It was called “cream of burnt sugar” which is a Romanian version of creme brulee (yes I am Romanian but moved to Australia when I was a little kid). I actually think the recipes are the exact same thing except the Romanian version does not use little ramekin dishes for individual portions and just cooks the whole thing up in a big pot. I’m pretty confident they are the same dessert because Romanian and French desserts and pastries are surprisingly very similar. So based on my memories of that dessert (which I used to love) I really think I nailed this recipe. It has a very similar taste and texture to the one I remember.
Besides being amazing, the recipe is also gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
| Vegan Steamed Creme Brulee | Print |
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes and then drained)
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder or corn flour
- 2 cups soy milk
- ½ cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 4 TBSP agar powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 6 tsp coconut sugar (for the top)
- Add all ingredients (except sugar for the top) into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour mixture into ramekin dishes, the recipe makes enough for 6 ramekins.
- Steam Method: Place ramekins into the top of a large 2-section steam pot, fill the bottom section with water and place the ramekins in the top section. Cover with a lid and steam for 20 minutes. Once steamed carefully remove from the pot and place in the fridge to set for up to 1 hour.
- Non-steam Method: place the blender mixture into a pot, and bring to a boil while whisking continuously. Once boiling keeps whisking for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, pour the mixture into ramekins and then place in the fridge to cool for about an hour to set.
- Once the mixture is completely cooled and set, sprinkle the top of each ramekin with 1 tsp of coconut sugar. Place ramekins in the oven under the grill for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar has melted. Alternately use a kitchen lighter to burn the sugar on top.
- Keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.
