The Big Sweet Tooth: Eggless Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is an egg based dessert, similar to a custard, but with a crunchy sugar topping, which is normally created by sprinkling the sugar on top and caramelising it with a blow torch. For December's Eggless Baking Challenge - by the way, completes its two years of successful running!-, Vimala had challenged us with making this dish, that she had suggested from Sanjeev Kapoor's site, into eggless. It has been two months since I have been missing my challenges due to time constraints and many other factors. Even though, this time also I was in a tight corner, I really wanted to make it without losing out on this month. When I saw Gayathri's post, I just went ahead with making it the way she did, with slight changes and was really happy with the result! Nobody missed the eggs for sure.

The sugar topping was a pain to do, but still somehow managed to do it on my ramekin. Now you may ask why? By the time, I came back from office and I checked the fridge, there was only two of them left - one for me and one for HD!!! All of them thought it was done and wiped it off after lunch... Hehe... Off to the recipe:

Eggless Creme Brulee

Makes 6 ramekins

Ingredients:

475 ml milk

250 ml thick cream

1/2 cup sugar

5 gms agar agar (Chinagrass) strands or powder (I used strands)

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp corn flour, diluted in 1/4 cup of milk

6 tbsp sugar, for the topping

Method:

Mix all ingredients from milk to diluted cornflour into a bowl. Cook on low flame till the agar agar melts. Ensure not to boil the mixture. Keep stirring in between to ensure that the mixture does not get stuck to the pan. When you see no more strands of agar agar, switch off the flame. Strain the mixture to avoid any lumps.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Fill a deep pan, big enough to accommodate 6 ramekins, with 1/3 hot water. Divide the sieved mixture into 6 ramekins equally and keep it in the water filled pan. Bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or till the top is golden brown in color.

Only the top will be cooked, You may notice the pudding a bit squishy, but don't panic! Take out of the water bath and cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for around 2 hours or till set. (I kept it overnight).

For the crunchy topping, sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar on one ramekin. Heat a spoon on a flame and press on the sugar lightly till browned. Clean the spoon, reheat again and repeat the process till the sugar gets a caramelized color - I just didn't have patience, I did it like four times and got the look that you can see!

Serve immediately and devour!!!

You can check out the other recipes I have participated in this challenge and enjoyed here.