This is the first time I have ever made a non-dairy creme brulee.  

Creme brulee means scorched cream! I was so impressed with the creaminess of the chia pudding that I thought, why not put some sugar on top and caramelize it with a torch? 

Voilà! A dairy-free, healthy, delicious, dessert.  

These super seeds have been used for 1000s of years! Dating back to the Ancient Aztecs and Mayans. They are also packed full of protein and fiber, which help in keeping your stomach feeling full for longer. This is a dessert option that won’t leave you still feeling hungry.

Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois written by François Massialot, and published in 1691, was the first written record of Creme Brulee. This dessert is still very popular today. Traditional creme brulee starts by making a creme Anglaise. Which is basically a pastry cream but not thickened nor cooked as long. The creme Anglaise is then baked in a water bath for anywhere from 1-2 hours. 

The baking of the custard with creme brulee can be quite nerve-racking to get it just right, but we don’t have to worry about that with this recipe. There is no baking at all. The only step that takes a lot of time is the initial soaking of the chia seeds, which takes 24 hours.

How to make simple syrup at home: Take 1⁄2 cup of water and 1⁄2 cup of sugar. In a pan over medium heat, add sugar to the water and stir until the sugar has completely evaporated. Add your desired flavoring to the cooled syrup and keep sealed in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

If you are curious about the French Chef François Massialot, his works Le Cuisinier roïal et Bourgeois and Nouvelle instructions pour les confitures, les liqueurs, et les fruits are available in English in the book The Court and Country Cook (originally published in 1972).

1. _{Chia Seed History and origin | grand teton ancient grains. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://www.ancientgrains.com/black-chia-seeds/chia-seed-history-and-origin/}  

Coconut Ginger Chia Creme Brulee

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Servings: 3 Prep: 24 hoursCook: 10 minsTotal: 24 hours 10 mins

Ingredients

8 oz can coconut milk

5 tablespoons chia seeds

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

½-1 teaspoon ginger simple syrup

¼ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup toasted coconut

¼-½  cup white sugar

Instructions

1

The day before, mix the chia seeds with coconut milk. Some coconut milk has a really thick top layer to it. I would recommend blending the milk in a blender before adding the chia seeds if this is the case.  

2

Slice the ginger into removable pieces, and put in the coconut milk chia blend to steep overnight. We are looking for it to infuse the coconut milk with its flavor. Ginger is really fibrous, and the texture would be off-putting in the creamy creme brulee.

3

Add the simple syrup, toasted coconut, and powdered sugar. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.  

4

The next day, take out the pieces of fresh ginger and give the pudding a couple of stirs. Scoop the mixture into a couple of ramekins. Smooth out the top with a spoon or off set spatula. 

5

Sprinkle the top with white sugar. You want to make sure there's a sufficient amount of sugar on top, so it forms a hard candy shell. It takes more than it seems it should.

6

Now comes the best part about making creme brulee. With a torch on high, start “bruleeing” the sugar on top of the chia creme brulee. Caramelize the sugar into a nice hard candy top, making sure not to burn the pudding itself. The color should be a dark tan, caramel color and should smell nutty not burnt.  

7

After it has cooled for just a minute, take your spoon and CRACK the caramelized sugar, and dive into the creamy center! Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

Calories
334

Fat
20.9g

Carbs
32.0g

Protein
6.0g

Fiber
5.5g

Sodium
38.7mg

Sugars
25.8g

Sat. Fat
14.0g

Notes

Difficulty level: 2

*Difficulty level on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being easy (little to no cooking experience required) and 10 being difficult (having a strong background in cooking, and using equipment)