Can I make this creme brûlée ahead of time?

Crème brûlée is best enjoyed fresh and is not a good dessert to make ahead of time. If you want desserts that you can prep 1-2 days in advance, you may like our Ube Sugar Cookies , Creamy Ube Pie , or Ube Biko .

Do I really need a culinary torch to make homemade creme brûlée?

A torch is certainly best and worth the investment, but you may be able to caramelize the sugar under the oven broiler. Place the individual ramekins on a baking tray and under the broiler for a couple of minutes or until golden and crunchy. Watch carefully to prevent burning!

Can I use fresh ube instead of ube jam?

Unfortunately, ube jam and fresh ube are not suitable for interchangeability. Aside from differing in texture and consistency, homemade ube jam also contains added ingredients like milk, sugar, butter, and ube extract. For the right sweetness, flavor, and creaminess, ube jam is required!

Ube Creme Brûlée (Vegan)

Description

Put a filipino twist on the traditional French dessert with this Ube Creme Brûlée recipe! The addition of ube halaya and ube extract adds a vibrant color and earthy, vanilla-like flavor to the velvety custard base you know and love. All you need is 8 simple ingredients to make this decadent dessert!

Ingredients

Custard

3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (26.66g) cornstarch
3 tablespoons sugar
⅔ cup non-dairy milk
1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup ube halaya (ube jam)
1 tablespoon vegan butter
½ teaspoon ube extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

For assembly

About ¼ cup granulated sugar

Equipment

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Instructions

Begin preparing the custard. Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan (over no heat). Add half of the non-dairy milk and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are completely dissolved and no clumps remain. Then, add the remaining non-dairy milk, coconut milk, and ube jam.
Thicken over medium heat. Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture for 4-6 minutes. Mix constantly until the consistency is slightly thinner than condensed milk.
Stir in the remaining custard ingredients. Remove the crème brûlée custard from the heat and continue to stir for another minute. Add the vegan butter, vanilla, ube extract, and salt. Stir through until the butter is melted and the custard is completely smooth.
Transfer to a ramekins. Pour the mixture evenly between individual ramekins or another shallow, heat-proof serving dish. Press a piece of plastic directly over the surface of the filling to prevent the ube crème brûlée from developing a skin.
Refrigerate overnight. Place the ramekins in the fridge overnight to let the custard thicken and set.
Torch. Once ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the custard and sprinkle each ramekin with granulated sugar, about one tablespoon on each. The surface should be covered in sugar, but it should be a thin layer. Then, using a culinary torch, caramelize the sugar until the brûlée forms a crispy, golden shell.
Enjoy! Let the sugar topping set for 1 minute, then serve immediately, as desired.

Notes

Storage: Crème brûlée is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated and enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Freezing: We do not recommend freezing crème brûlée. This will alter the smooth texture of the custard, making it separate and grainy.
Brown or coconut sugar: In theory, opting for a different sugar should work but it will alter the flavor and drastically alter the color of the final dessert. For the best results and traditional-looking color, white sugar is the best choice.
Kitchen Torch Alternative: Though a torch is certainly best and worth the investment, you may be able to caramelize the sugar under the oven broiler. Place the individual ramekins on a baking tray and under the broiler for a couple of minutes, or until golden and crunchy. Watch carefully to prevent burning!

Prep Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Desserts
Method: Stovetop