Creme brulee, the quintessential French dessert known for its velvety-smooth custard and crunchy burnt sugar crust, gets a tropical twist with pandan leaves infusion. Let’s burn a Pandan dairy free creme brulee!
A creme brulee without dairy may seem complex to make, but it’s totally doable with the right ingredients and technique. Adding pandan leaves brings a fresh, tropical element that elevates the dessert while staying true to its silky-smooth custard texture.
It’s a refreshing new way to enjoy creme brulee without the dairy and gluten. This recipe will surely become your favorite.
Why Pandan Is Perfect For Desserts
Pandan leaves, also known as the “vanilla of Southeast Asia,” add a subtle, sweet aroma that complements many desserts.
It’s used in many Southeast Asian dishes and is a key ingredient in various pandan desserts due to its unique sweet, nutty, and slightly floral flavor.
Pandan is ideal for creamy or custard-based desserts like creme brulee due to its unique sweet note. The aroma is irresistible when burnt sugar’s caramel scent blends with pandan’s fragrant smell.
Pandan Leaves Infusion
Making this dairy free creme brulee begins with infusing pandan leaves into vegan heavy cream and dairy free milk.
You can use either fresh pandan leaves or dried ones, both of which have the same aromatic flavor. Here’s how you can do it:
Start with dairy free cream and milk: Use plant based heavy cream and milk. Oat milk works well in this recipe.
Add the pandan leaves: For fresh pandan, rinse and chop them to release their oils. Place the leaves in a saucepan with the plant based cream and oat milk, boil quickly, then simmer on low heat with a lid.
Let it infuse for 10-15 minutes, allowing the pandan essence to permeate the cream fully. Note: If using dried pandan, add them to the cream and milk and let soak for 5 minutes before boiling.
Strain and cool: Once infused, blend and strain out the pandan leaves, leaving the fragrant light green cream and milk mixture. The pandan-infused cream is the base of the custard.
Why Baking at Low Heat is Necessary
A successful crème brûlée is all about achieving that perfect, creamy texture underneath a crunchy caramelized top.
Baking the dessert at a low temperature allows the custard to cook gently, preventing the proteins in the vegan whipped cream and milk from solidifying too quickly, which can result in a grainy texture.
The slow baking process results in a perfectly smooth custard, replicating the texture of traditional creme brulee.
What You’ll Need For Pandan Creme Brulee
Pandan Leaves: Fresh leaves give a robust aroma.
Vegan Heavy Cream: Look for a 30% fat plant based heavy cream that is ideal for cooking and baking.
Oat Milk (Barista): It adds creaminess without overpowering the pandan. Soy and cashew milk are both excellent alternatives.
Sugar: Both are needed in the custard and for caramelizing on top. For burnt sugar topping, fine brown sugar works the same with the white one.
Substitution Table
| Ingredients | Substitute With |
|---|---|
| Fresh Pandan Leaves | Pandan Extract Concentrate |
| Oat milk (barista/creamer) | Soy, Cashew or Rice milk (Barista type) |
| Flora Heavy Cream 31% fat | Silk or Califia Farm Heavy Cream |
| Vanilla bean | 2 g Vanilla powder or 10 g Pure Vanilla extract |
Process Steps
Pandan Leaves Infusion
- Wash the pandan leaves and chop into 1 cm (1/2 inch). You don’t have to do this step using dried or powdered pandan.
- Quickly boil the pandan leaves in a saucepan with dairy free heavy cream and oat milk.
- Turn the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer and infuse for at least 10 minutes.
- Blend using a blender or food processor until the pandan breaks into small pieces. Strain to separate the leaves from the liquid. Press the pandan residue to extract as much liquid as possible.
Mixing & Baking the Pandan Custard
- Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar to the infused cream mixture in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly using a whisk. For a smoother custard, use a hand blender for mixing.
- Fill the ramekin cups just below the rim and bake at 105°C (230°F) for 60-65 minutes. Low heat prevents the mixture from curdling or becoming grainy, ensuring a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If using a larger baking dish, adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Once baked, refrigerate the creme brulee for at least two hours. Just before serving, sprinkle a layer of sugar on top and caramelize with a kitchen torch.
Pandan Dessert: A Dairy Free Creme Brulee (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- Digital scale
- hand blender
- Kitchen torch
Ingredients
- 9 egg yolks (large)
- 150 g sugar
- 5 pcs pandan leaves (fresh) or Pandan Extract Concentrate
- 1 vanilla pod
- 500 g Flora heavy cream, DF/GF
- 500 g oat milk, barista
- extra sugar for burnt sugar topping
Instructions
Pandan Leaves Infusion
- Wash the pandan leaves and chop into 1 cm (1/2 inch). You don’t have to do this step using dried or powdered pandan.
- Quickly boil the pandan leaves in a saucepan with dairy free heavy cream and oat milk.
- Turn the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer and infuse for at least 10 minutes.
- Blend using a blender or food processor until the pandan breaks into small pieces. Strain to separate the leaves from the liquid. Press the pandan residue to extract as much liquid as possible.
Mixing & Baking the Pandan Custard
- Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar to the infused cream mixture in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly using a whisk. For a smoother custard, use a hand blender for mixing.
- Fill the ramekin cups just below the rim and bake in a pre-heated oven at 110°C (230°F) for 60-65 minutes. Low heat prevents the mixture from curdling or becoming grainy, ensuring a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If using a larger baking dish, adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Once baked, refrigerate the creme brulee for at least two hours. Just before serving, sprinkle a layer of sugar on top and caramelize with a kitchen torch.
Notes
- Make sure your oven is pre-heated and does not overheat.
- Do not refrigerate while the creme brulee is still hot to prevent the cooked custard from becoming watery.
