Crème brûlée is a traditional French dessert made with eggs, double cream and sugar, topped with a layer of caramelized sugar. It’s an absolute taste explosion, but not healthy at all and with a lot of food allergens. Our vegan mango crème brûlée without baking is a healthier twist on the classic we all love. We kept all the fun but replaced bad fats and allergens with a healthy mango puree and coconut milk to make this recipe dairy free, egg free, gluten free and vegan.
And what makes it even better is that it doesn’t need to be baked in the oven. You just have to cook it over the stove for a few minutes to thicken the mango-based cream, then straight into the fridge and into your tummy.
There are also no added sugar to the cream base as it already is naturally sweet thanks to mango puree. This helps reduce added sugar intake for a healthier dessert.
Since there are no eggs included, it is the mango that gives the cream that beautiful yellow color. If you prefer an even deeper tone, simply add a pinch of turmeric to the cream base before blending the ingredients.
Long story short, our Mango Crème Brûlée really is a delicious treat Everyone can enjoy it thanks to a healthier choice of ingredients. But don’t take our word for it! Learn how to make it at home by following our step-by-step recipe below.
frequently asked Questions
Do you serve crème brûlée hot or cold?
Traditionally, crème brûlée is served immediately after caramelizing the top layer of sugar. The pudding base will be cold as it has been refrigerated for at least an hour to set, while the top caramel layer will be slightly warm. This combination of cold and heat gives this dessert a unique and delicious feel.
Can I make this mango pudding ahead of time?
Absolutely. You can prepare the coconut milk and mango pudding base as you did the night before. Then pour into the molds and store in the fridge wrapped in cling film. When ready to serve the crème brûléè, sprinkle the top with sugar and caramelize with a blowtorch or under the hot grill in the oven.
We do not recommend storing the crème brûlée after you have made the hard caramel layer. This is because the longer the caramel stays in contact with the pudding base, it will become more and more mushy.
How is the classic French crème brûlée made?
The traditional crème brûlée recipe consists of a base of custard cream, which is then topped with a layer of caramelized sugar. The pudding is prepared by tempering egg yolks and sugar with hot cream. The mixture is then poured into molds and baked in a water bath.
The classic dessert consists of eggs and cream. Therefore it is not suitable for vegans, lactose intolerance or egg allergy sufferers. Instead, our recipe is made with just mango, coconut milk and potato starch and is safe for everyone.
What type of sugar should I use for crème brûlée?
The best type of sugar for crème brûlée is caster sugar, also known as super-fine or ultra-fine baking sugar. It is essentially granulated sugar that has been ground into very small crystals and in this way melts much faster than regular sugar.
Therefore, we recommend using caster sugar to get the perfect caramel layer in your crème brûlée. If the sugar you use is too coarse instead, you could end up with spots of undercooked or even burnt caramel.
Other alternatives to white sugar include demerara brown sugar, coconut sugar, or natural sweeteners like erythritol or stevia.
We have experimented with all of them and found that:
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Caramelized brown sugar. Despite this, it gets very dark, and therefore it is not always easy to know if it is burned or not.
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What we’ve noticed with erythritol is that it melts and hardens under the blowtorch, but doesn’t turn brown.
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Coconut sugar is a great option and behaves similarly to brown sugar.
Can you make creme brulee without eggs?
Yes you can. Eggs add texture, color and richness to the pudding. You can get the same results with plant-based ingredients like coconut milk, starch, and silken tofu.
In our recipe, we used the thickening properties of starch and the creaminess of coconut milk to make our crème brûlée vegan and therefore egg-free. You can use potato, corn, or arrowroot starch, depending on your preference.
Another alternative is silken tofu. This soft and light soy product blends into a super smooth cream and adds structure to the pudding thanks to its high protein content. We’ve used it in many of our vegan desserts, like this Matcha Flan or Coffee Cream Caramel.